Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective Impressions

Yu Yu Hakusho is yet another anime license in Atari's stable, and not surprisingly, the company is already creating an isometric adventure game based on the series for the Game Boy Advance. For those who aren't familiar with the anime, it revolves around a character named Yusuke, who dies but comes back to life with the ability to detect demons. Yusuke joins up with other characters, including a former rival gang member, to form a demon-hunting club.

Each character will have a unique attack based on the spirit energy he or she posseses. Kuwabara--Yusuke's rival--can use an energy sword to attack enemies, while Yusuke can shoot energy out of his finger. Hiei is a skilled swordsman equipped with a regular sword, and Kurama uses a thorn whip to dispatch enemies. The fighting system is pretty straightforward and simply requires you to hit a button repeatedly when engaging enemies on the map.

The structure of the game is somewhat linear. Though the maps are quite large, there will always be a small icon in the corner indicating the general direction in which you're supposed to go, which is especially helpful since there aren't any maps in the game. Occasionally, you'll come across some special items that will help Yusuke and crew on their journey. For example, there's a demon compass that will enhance the party's ability to detect demons.

Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective will feature 24 levels and six playable characters--the four aforementioned characters, as well as Botan (a character from the spirit world) and Yusuke's girlfriend. The game is currently scheduled for release this winter.