Hands-on: Wreckless

Activision stopped by with a localized build of Wreckless for the Xbox yesterday. Developed by newcomer Bunkasha Games, the title was first seen at this year's Tokyo Game Show under the name 2817756Double S.T.E.A.L. . Featuring detailed graphics, impressive lighting, and arcade-style gameplay, the game is shaping up quite nicely.

The game's structure is reminiscent of that of Super Runabout for the Dreamcast, probably due to the fact that Bunkasha is made up of ex-members of the Runabout team. You'll select from one of seven available cars--three others can be unlocked--and work your way through two separate mission paths. You'll find a total of 20 missions to go through in the game--eight normal and two bonus in each path. The missions are varied, although they all involve traveling at high speeds. You'll find yourself racing through town, smashing dim sum carts, trailing a boat along a pier in order to take incriminating pictures of those onboard, pushing cars off a pier to dispose of evidence, and so on. The game mechanics are simple and the gameplay is fun.

Wreckless features some truly impressive graphics, including real-time environment mapping on the cars, huge environments (it's possible to actually get on the freeway and travel to another part of town), and some stellar lighting. The generous polygon budget allows the environments to offer a ton of detail and destructible items. The water in the game has to rank as the most impressive yet seen--a nighttime stage features an illuminated riverboat that is perfectly reflected.

The game's graphics are further complemented by an in-game replay that uses a variety of camera angles to show off the mission you just completed. Featuring a jittery handheld style, the replays look like something off the six o'clock news and are fun to watch, especially if you've pulled off some insane moves.

Wreckless is shaping up to be a title Xbox owners will want to keep their eye on when it ships in February of next year.