New NARC details

Midway has released new details on NARC, a third-person action game loosely based on the arcade game of the same name. The game focuses on Hitman and Max Force, former partners who are reunited as part of the NARC squad to once again help fight the war on drugs. Another returning character will be Mr. Big, the head man of the crime syndicate known as KRAK, which is trying to spread a new drug called "liquid soul" throughout the streets. Hitman and Max Force will not only have an assortment of melee attacks such as punches, kicks, head-butts, and throws to take out Mr. Big's goons, but they'll also have access to a large arsenal that includes crowbars, flamethrowers, and even rocket launchers.

The storyline will help determine whether players take on the role of Hitman or Max Force, but some missions will actually require both characters to be fighting onscreen at once, in which case the AI will take over the character that the player hasn't selected. Both characters can perform arrests, but the arrests will vary in difficulty depending on the criminal's health, criminal rating, and drug use. In addition, players can take on side quests outside of the main missions, which will take place in five different locations, including an East Coast American city, the docks of a city in Asia, an industrial complex and drug lab in Europe, and the private island of Mr. Big.

NARC is currently in development for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, and it's scheduled for release in 2004. We'll have more on the game soon.