Doing my best Snake-Eyes impression, I worked past the G.I. Joe sign and tried to peek over shoulders to take a look at a screen, showing a game which had just been announced a few hours before. I couldn't get a clear view, but I saw what appeared to be explosions, which left me optimistic. Before long, I was seated between two developers and the game was started up. I was shocked. It's hard to really compare the game to anything recent, since it looks like a blend of several different games. It has a little Marvel Ultimate Alliance, a little Geometry Wars, and a little Gears of War. Confused?

Yeah, I was too.

Two players (offline only, as of now) share a screen and progress forward, firing at enemies nonstop. The left analog stick moves, the right chooses a target, and laying on the trigger unloads a constant flow of ammunition at whatever is currently selected. They die, the player who finished them off is awarded points, and the mayhem continues. It's an obvious call back to the old days of gaming, feeling very Contra in nature, and is a much different game than what I had expected. Some enemies even drop multipliers, adding even further emphasis on getting a high score. I suppose, in that way, it's almost like a two-stick shooter.

If the developers wanted to put a focus on accessibility I suppose this was the easiest way to create a pick up and play experience. Deeper mechanics, like dodging, melee attacks, and taking cover are available for trained gamers, while the uninitiated can still perform basic maneuvers without too much trouble. They continued to stress that the people who grew up with Joe aren't necessarily the only people who are going to be playing this game, so they needed to create something to bring those generations together. Launching with the movie gives them that chance, and lets them bring those types of gamers together for the game, which goes beyond the story in the film and isn't the typical "play the movie" tie-in.

In the demonstration, Heavy Duty and Snake-Eyes were selected, each sporting unique abilities and special attacks. Snake-Eyes uses a pistol and sword, focusing on getting behind enemies and using quick, melee attacks to take them down. On the other end of the spectrum, Heavy Duty wields a huge freaking chain gun, yet lacks the agility of the mute ninja. Choosing which Joes to take into combat will be more than a cosmetic decision, and different characters will make completing levels easier, awarding more points. Indoors, it might make sense to use characters with abilities tuned for corridor fighting, but in outdoor battles might be best to take out the big guns.

               Kind of, but not exactly, like this retro G.I. Joe arcade game.

There are also differences between the different types of characters, and they seem to have very different feels. For instance, when taking cover, Snake Eyes has the ability to vault over top, while Heavy Duty has to go around. These subtle touches hope to differentiate the characters, and make choosing between the team members an important part of the G.I. Joe experience. Also, after a meter is filled up, the characters can scream "YO JOE!" The old music kicks in, their outfits are replaced with high-tech battle armors, and they are able to plow through just about anything in their path. It's epic.

The developers said that certain areas are only accessible with certain characters, so there's a good amount of content and replayability in that alone. Unlockable PSAs, costumes, and characters hope to expand the game into something that should make old G.I. Joe fans scream with joy, and hopefully it is able to be as accessible as it hopes to be without isolating the hardcore. We'll find out when the game is released alongside the movie this August, and be sure to check back soon for an interview with the developers.

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