E3 2002: Ben Hur preshow report

Microids will be showing off Ben Hur, its upcoming chariot racing game for the Sony PlayStation 2, at this year's E3. The game is set in ancient Rome, and it will let you race and fight a variety of opponents.

Some of the characters featured in the game include the hero Ben Hur; Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead; and several valkyries, ghostly female Viking warriors. You will have access to weapons such as swords, bows, hatchets, and spears, as well as magic spells such as thunder of god and fireball. As you win races, you gain gold and reputation, and you can upgrade your vehicle and purchase new weapons and spells.

Ben Hur will feature seven different modes. The time trial mode will let you race against the clock and hone your driving skills without worrying about fighting off opponents. The training mode will let you try out your weapons and spells in races against various opponents without taking damage. In the sudden death mode, you will select a character and race directly against five computer-controlled opponents, while in the arcade mode, you can also choose your vehicle options. The game's arcade multiplayer mode will let two players race head-to-head, along with two computer-controlled opponents, on a split screen. The "race to the death" mode lets you race without limitations until none of your opponents are left standing. The final mode, ascension, lets you race all the tracks, unlock new characters, upgrade your vehicle, and purchase new items.

Ben Hur will feature 15 different characters to race against, 20 different weapons, and 64 magic spells. The game features four tracks, each of which has optional environments, as well as four "Pantheon" tracks that let you race against a specific legendary character.

Microids will be demonstrating an alpha build of the game at the show. Ben Hur is scheduled for release exclusively for the Sony PlayStation 2 near the end of 2002. We'll post more information about the game as it becomes available.