First look: Jacked

3DO had its new motorbike racing and combat game Jacked on display at a press event today, and we were able to take a brief look at it. The game is in development for all three current-generation consoles, although we only got to see the PlayStation 2 version in action. Jacked puts players in the role of a hard-edged character who engages in illicit motorcycle racing in a story-based campaign mode. As players progress, they can earn money by winning races to upgrade their bikes in various ways. If they're feeling a little larcenous, players can bypass this method and simply knock a competitor off his or her bike and jump on it. In addition to improving their bikes, players can level up their riders using experience points.

The combat in Jacked looks like it will be pretty varied, as a wide array of both ranged and melee weapons will be available. In one of the levels in the build we saw, characters were picking up giant urns to hurl at each other. We also heard about swinging a parking meter at opponents' skulls--scoring a hit apparently causes loose change to fly out. Projectile weapons, such as shotguns and the like, will also be available, and if all else fails, players can just flail their fists. Jacked lets players race in a variety of different areas--or where people shouldn't ride motorcycles, as the developer told us.

Jacked is still in a rough alpha stage, and the game is looking at a release sometime in the fall. We'll have more information as it develops.