Sammy's E3 2004 Lineup @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on April 20, 2004

News: The Guilty Gear guys reveal all of their plans for the big show. Including, not surprsingly, a new Guilty Gear game.

Sammy Studios, the makers of the long running Guilty Gear franchise, have revealed their E3 plans to the world. And we get some good stuff and we also get confirmation that The Shield is coming to the Xbox as well as the PS2 and the announcement of a new Guilty Gear game. So read on for all the games they have planned for the big show:

"Darkwatch," for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and Xbox video game system from Microsoft, is the company's internal development debut. Created by the team who founded the Carlsbad-based studio, "Darkwatch" is an original first person shooter combining the Western and Horror genres to create a cinematic experience with unparalleled depth and game play variety. As half-vampire Jericho Cross, players must hunt down a powerful vampire lord whose undead minions have overrun the Wild West. The result is a stylistic premise blending western and vampire-horror milieus, and one injected with innovative concepts. Gunslingers and ghouls, rifles and rocket launchers and undead horses and high-octane vehicles all exist side by side in the unique "Darkwatch" universe. At E3, "Darkwatch" will debut a live game demonstration in a replica of an in-game haunted church. The experience is designed to highlight the inspired premise and features sure to establish it as "Most Wanted" at the show. Tickets for free admission to the theatre will be distributed inside badge inserts for all E3 attendees, and audience members will be eligible to win a video game collector's dream; a one-of-a-kind "Guilty Gear XX # Reload" arcade machine. Developed by Sammy Studios, "Darkwatch" is slated for release in Spring 2005 and is not yet rated.

Darkwatch has not yet been concept approved by Sony or Microsoft.

"The Shield," for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, is based on the Emmy and Golden Globe winning FX network police show that has become one of the most talked about programs on television. At E3, Sammy Studios will give the public their first look at this authentic adaptation of the trailblazing series, a game promising to deliver an experience akin to a "lost episode." "The Shield" is a third-person action game putting players in the role of Vic Mackey, a hard-nosed cop fighting a war on crime where, to him, the ends justify the means. The company is working closely with Fox Television Studios and "THE SHIELD" creators and talent to recreate the show's trademark intensity and visceral emotional impact in a true-to-life police action game. Developed by Point of View, Inc., "The Shield" is slated for release in Spring 2005 and is not yet rated.

The Shield has not yet been concept approved by Sony

"Spy Fiction," exclusively for PlayStation 2, brings never-before-seen features to the stealth-action genre. "Spy Fiction" introduces the revolutionary ability to steal the appearance and other characteristics of any character in the game and assume their identity. The game brings fast-paced action and variety to stealth, with action-oriented mini-games and spy gadgets designed to let players avoid detection while on the move. "Spy Fiction" boasts amazing graphics, with character design by famed artist Renji Murata (Last Exile) and a range of soon-to-be-revealed upgrades not found in the recent Japanese release. Developed by Access Games, Inc., "Spy Fiction" is slated for release in September 2004 at an MSRP of $49.99 and is not yet rated.

"Iron Phoenix," exclusively for Xbox Live, brings a new genre to online multiplayer games as the first-ever 16-player 3D fighting game. This Kung-Fu brawler, introducing team-based melee combat, wide-open environments and wire-fu style fighting to the 3D fighting genre, will get its playable debut at the show in a LAN tournament open to all E3 attendees. "Iron Phoenix" promises a huge variety of weapons-based combos, more than ten playable characters a robust single-player mission mode and numerous online play modes. "Iron Phoenix" is slated for release Holiday 2004 at an MSRP of $49.99 and is not yet rated.

"Guilty Gear Isuka," for PlayStation 2, is the newest sequel in the acclaimed 2D fighter series. The game promises to raise the bar on the genre, one arguably set by its own predecessor "Guilty Gear X2," by introducing 4-player simultaneous play, combo customization, all-new play modes and new characters and arenas. Developed by Arc System Works Co., Ltd., "Guilty Gear Isuka" is slated for release in Holiday 2004 at an MSRP of $49.99 and is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.