Capcom has pulled the wraps off God Hand, its latest urban-themed beat-'em-up for the PS2. It stars Jean, a mumbling hero who's inherited the Hand of God, and is now entangled in a series of deadly scraps with those seeking out the source of the power that he's tapped into.

Put simply, it's a rowdy 3D fighting game that's livened up with some brutally colorful and violent effects when Jean puts his heavenly digits into action, filling the screen with dazzling light and crumpled faces.

We've no idea what to think of God Hand just yet. Previous gritty-looking beat 'em-ups from Capcom have resulted in some severe letdowns (see Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance and Final Fight: Streetwise for details). Then again, God Hand is being produced by Atsushi Inaba and directed by Shinji Mikami who, between them, have produced some truly special games in the past few years.

Capcom's given no indication of God Hand's release date here in the west, although it'll likely hit Japanese stores later this year or in early 2007. Here's hoping it doesn't arrive with a clumsy subtitle in tow.

April 18, 2006