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Soldier of Fortune II E3 2003 Preshow Report

The Xbox version of Activision's gory modern-day military action game is on display at E3.

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Activision is showing off the Xbox version of Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix at its booth on the E3 show floor. The game is based on the PC first-person action game developed by Raven Software, which is best known for its detailed locational damage system, called GHOUL 2. The Quake III-engine game graphically depicts the impact of your weapons on enemies in great detail and generally strives for the feel of an action movie, and there will be plenty of photo-realistic detail to go with the run-and-gun fun.

The Soldier of Fortune series is inspired by the personal experience of mercenary John Mullins, who served as a consultant in the games' development. You assume Mullins' persona as an elite mercenary, and the jobs you take on will start you out in the streets of Prague, lead you through the dense jungles of Colombia, and more. The game has a basic stealth system, and you'll have to intelligently deal with a range of challenges, but clearly the emphasis is on action. Skillful use of real-world weapons will be the only way to get through the fierce firefights. You'll find occasion to use many types of assault rifles, machine guns, shotguns, and pistols, and some, like the M4 with attached M203 grenade launcher, can serve dual purposes. The AI opposition can be smart and make good use of cover, and so should you, but you won't want to sit in one place too long and make yourself a target for a grenade.

The Xbox version of Soldier of Fortune II is in development at Gratuitous Games. The game will not only bring over the lengthy single-player campaign, but it will also have multiplayer features, including Xbox Live support and several multiplayer modes. The Xbox game is scheduled to ship this summer.

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