New Kangaeru Exit features revealed

Don those thinking caps.

ITmedia today went in-depth with Taito's upcoming puzzle action game Kangaeru Exit, the sequel to last year's well-received Sony PlayStation Portable title Exit. Judging by the title--"Kangaeru" means "to think"--the new characters and obstacles added to this game will ensure that players use their heads to prevail.

Familiar companions--such as the kid, young adult, adult, and the patient--will return as two new character types, a dog and a macho man, join the mix. And once again, players will have to save them all with the help of series protagonist Mr. ESC. The new characters and the abilities they bring will add a new dimension to the strategies players can use: The dog, for instance, is comparable to Mr. ESC in terms of running and jumping ability, but, being a dog, he is unable to use items or operate switches. The dog is also the only companion character who can move through water. The macho man is like an enhanced version of the young adult: His climbing ability resembles Mr. ESC's, but unlike Mr. ESC, the macho man is strong enough to climb ropes.

Kangaeru Exit will include a number of new obstacles, such as one-way escalators. Mr. ESC and company cannot scamper down an escalator that is heading upward, and vice versa, but timer switches can temporarily pause these obstacles. One-way doors will be introduced, and players will now find barrels littered throughout levels. These can be rolled along until they hit a surface such as a wall, upon which they pop into an upright position and become immovable. Barrels float in water and can be used as stepping stones but are dangerous to characters when rolling, as they easily catch fire.

According to ITmedia, Taito has taken user feedback into consideration to address the shortcomings of the first Exit. For example, jumping has been made easier and the speed of movement increased. Characters can now change directions in the middle of ladders and stairs. However, no new items have been added to the game.

Kangaeru Exit is expected to release in Japan on September 7.