Midway fighting World War II on 360

LAS VEGAS--Traditional opinion is that World War II lasted just under six years, from the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 to the Japanese surrender in August 1945. Some historians think that WWII actually started in 1937, when the Japanese invaded China and started a brutal eight-year campaign in Asia.

In the game industry, though, World War II is never-ending. Each year, Activision's Call of Duty, Electronic Arts' Medal of Honor, and Ubisoft's Brothers in Arms--among others--resurrect the epic conflict. Today, Midway announced that it, too, is getting into the WWII game with Hour of Victory, a new shooter in development exclusively for the Xbox 360. The game is not yet rated or priced but is slated to go on sale this summer.

Hour of Victory uses the Unreal Engine 3.0, the same tech framework behind Gears of War and the recently renamed Unreal Tournament III. It features a series of battles from the European and North African theaters, which saw the Americans and the British take on the Germans and the Italians. Players can play each level as one of three characters: a stealthy cover operative, an American sniper, or a British commando fond of frontal assaults. Players will also be able to seize control of and drive any vehicle on the battlefield.

Executive Producer Mark Caldwell said Hour of Victory's more-character-driven, "big sandbox" approach and emphasis on adventure set it apart from other WWII shooters. "It's an Indiana Jones approach, versus a Saving Private Ryan approach," he said.

For more information on Hour of Victory, check out GameSpot's exclusive hands-on preview from the 2007 Midway Gamers' Day.