Ape Escape 2 E3 2003 Preshow Report

Ubi Soft will have the US version of Ape Escape 2 for the PS2 on hand at this year's E3. This sequel to the somewhat obscure but otherwise excellent PlayStation game Ape Escape was originally released by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan in 2002 under the name Saru! Get You! 2.

In the game, you'll play as Hikaru, a young boy tasked with capturing as many truant monkeys as possible. There will be a total of 300 monkeys in all, but you won't be required to catch all of them to complete the game. Hikaru himself will have very limited abilities--he'll be able to run, double jump, lie prone, and pretend to be asleep--that will help him somewhat when trying to sneak up on his simian prey. However, Hikaru will also be able to use a number of tools, including a club (which can be used to stun monkeys) and a net. And throughout the course of the game, Hikaru will also get his hands on several unusual items to help him catch monkeys, such a monkey-detecting radar dish, a remote-control car, and a banana-shaped boomerang that can stun monkeys from a distance or lure them by secreting a banana scent.

You'll use these and various other gadgets to solve lots and lots of puzzles that will stand between you and the monkeys. Some monkeys will be easy enough to catch, but others will be hidden, and some may even have dangerous special abilities, such as the ability to breathe fire or blast you with guns. Though some of the more-dangerous monkeys may prove to be more difficult to capture than others, you'll be able to challenge yourself to capture them all to unlock a series of hidden bonuses, if you so choose. Ubi Soft will release Ape Escape 2 for the PlayStation 2 in the US this July.