E3 2011: Konami plugs in digital lineup

LOS ANGELES--A noted exception from Konami's pre-Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference last week was games for digital platforms. However, the publisher plugged that hole in its lineup today, announcing a handful of titles coming to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network in the near future.

This fall, Konami's digital arm will release Zombie Apocalypse 2 (working title) through XBLA and the PSN. Developed by Backbone Entertainment, the twin-stick shooter is a follow-up to 2009's Zombie Apocalypse, which received a positive critical reception. Zombie Apocalypse 2 features four new protagonists, who seek to survive the undead invasion on a secluded island by relying on squad-based gameplay.

Konami will be aiding indie studio Neko Entertainment by publishing its 2010 Independent Games Festival Student Showcase winner Puddle for XBLA and the PSN. Currently only confirmed for release on the PSN this year, the game features physics-based puzzles, as players attempt to transport flowing liquid to a target destination. Friction, momentum, and other components of the physical world all play a role in Puddle.

On the system-exclusive front, Konami will be bringing its first Kinect-enabled downloadable title Leedmees (working title) to XBLA this summer. Billed as a full-body, family-friendly puzzle game, Leedmees is a riff off DMA Design's classic Lemmings franchise and sees players attempting to help the titular creatures find safety by crossing more than 50 peril-fraught stages.

As far as interactivity goes, players will, for example, position their arms to make bridges or flip switches to open and shut routes. Leedmees also includes 12 custom-made co-op levels.

Lastly, Konami announced that it would be publishing the XBLA version of MonkeyPaw Games' BurgerTime World Tour this summer. A revival of the 1982 classic, BurgerTime World Tour sees players frantically dodging monstrously sized condiments that are being tossed about by off-kilter chef Peter Pepper. The game includes all-new graphics, and it will also be available on the PSN, WiiWare, and PC.