Astro Boy to wreak Havok

TOKYO--Sega revealed in a press conference today that the upcoming Astro Boy game for the PS2 will be created using the Havok 2 physics engine. The engine has been used in a number of games targeted for the U.S. market including Half-Life 2 and Max Payne 2. This will be the first time that the Havok 2 engine will be used by a Japanese developer.

Sega's Astro Boy is a 3D action game based on the classic anime of the same name. The original anime was created by artist Tsutomu Tezuka.

The game will be based on the new anime series currently airing on Japanese TV. The player controls a robot named Atom, who is also referred to as Astro Boy. Atom can punch, shoot sub-weapons, and fly through the air in order to advance through the game. The left analog stick controls Atom's horizontal movement, such as walking or flying. The right analog stick controls Atom's vertical movement, or altitude. Defeating bosses will open up new areas to explore, or reveal new hidden abilities of Atom.

Astro Boy for the PS2 seems loyal to the original Tezuka design, as Atom can freely fly around the screen, and the attacks that he is best known for, such as his rocket arm, are included in the game. Characters from the TV series, Atlus and Pluto, are confirmed to be in the game as well.

Astro Boy for the PS2 is scheduled for release next March in Japan.