E3 06: Rengoku 2 Preshow Report

On the eve of E3 2006, Konami and Hudson have revealed new details about Rengoku 2, the sequel to the 2005 PSP action game Rengoku: Tower of Purgatory, which put you in the role of a gladiatorial android named A.D.A.M. who could absorb the weapons of downed foes as he slaughtered his way up that titular tower. New Rengoku, new tower, and this time A.D.A.M. will have to fight his way through eight levels, the first seven of which are based on the seven deadly sins.

The ability to customize A.D.A.M.'s powers will again play a significant role, and Rengoku 2 promises more than 300 different items that you'll be able to plunder from your enemies' corpses. You can also expect more of the same grim, somewhat unsettling imagery as was featured in the first Rengoku, as Japanese artist Jun Suemi is returning to provide character designs. Based on the initial screenshots released by Konami, our first impression is that Rengoku 2 seems to feature a more colorful presentation, with prominent particle effects, than its predecessor.

Returning is support for local four-player competitive play with several different modes, game-sharing capabilities so that only one of the four players will need to have an actual copy of the game, and true online support for downloadable content such as maps, weapons, and items. Rengoku 2 will be playable on the E3 2006 show floor, and is set to hit American PSPs this summer.