D.I.C.E. First Impressions

During a recent meeting with Bandai we were afforded our first look at D.I.C.E.--an action game inspired by the animated sci-fi TV series of the same name. The show, in case you're not familiar with it, follows the adventures of the D.I.C.E. (DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises) organization, which is dedicated to combating evil in the Sarbylion galaxy. D.I.C.E. agents are children in powered suits that bear more than a passing resemblance to those worn by the Power Rangers, and each agent rides a "dinobreaker" that can transform from something resembling a relatively conventional vehicle into a robotic dinosaur.

The D.I.C.E action game will be faithful to the TV series in most respects, but the development team at Natsume will be taking some artistic license with the franchise for the sake of gameplay. In the TV series, for example, dinobreakers aren't equipped with ranged weapons of any kind, but in the game you'll be able to equip a satellite bot that orbits your dinobreaker and can be used to shoot at enemies. We got to see a satellite bot in action as we watched a Bandai representative play through a portion of one of the game's 16 levels piloting playable character Jet Siegel's motoraptor, and we can report that it looked to be performing its function admirably.

Currently scheduled for release in August, D.I.C.E. will feature a total of 11 playable characters, although not all of them will be available for selection the first time you play the game. You can expect to find all of the TV show's central characters on the roster, of course, and the game will also feature two never-seen-before dinobreakers that may or may not make it into the TV show at a later date.

The first of the two levels that we were shown during our D.I.C.E. demonstration looked to be a pretty simplistic third-person affair in which you'll be required to battle your way through rooms filled with enemies en route to some kind of boss confrontation. The Bandai representative playing the game was able to transform his dinobreaker with a single button press (the animation was quite impressive) and was also able to dismount it in order to fight on foot and gain access to areas with entrances too small to fit the vehicle through.

The second level that we saw, which was clearly a long way from being finished, was essentially a futuristic race circuit on which you'll be able to compete against other characters. Sticking with Jet Siegel and his motoraptor (it's a motorcycle and a raptor, in case you hadn't guessed), the Bandai rep proceeded to ride around the F-Zero-like track at speeds that were definitely faster than a brisk jog but not nearly as quick as those in most futuristic racers. There were no other racers in the build of the game that we were being shown, and none of the weapons that you'll get to use during races have been implemented yet, so hopefully those additions will liven things up a bit.

We were told that, like the TV show that it's based on, the D.I.C.E. action game is primarily being targeted at boys aged 6 to 11 (although Bandai's own fact sheet for the game states that the company is expecting an ESRB rating of E10+ for it), which goes some way to explaining the game's apparent lack of depth--although not its lack of any multiplayer options. We'll bring you more information on D.I.C.E. just as soon as we can get hands-on with a version of the game.