Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, the hotly-anticipated PS3 sequel to developer Pandemic's explosive PS2 actioner, will give tons of new devastating options for your merc, while demanding that you hoard vital fuel supplies to keep your battlefield support in action.

Vehicles won't need to be pumped up but calling in an air strike will take a cut from your fuel reserves - which will likely see you battling for control of fuel depots and outposts during missions.

Fortunately, Mercs 2 introduces some brand new offensive options to satisfy your appetite for hostility, including new ordnance (the sub-nuke MOAB, or Massive Ordnance Air Bomb), new vehicles (attack helicopters and stronger APCs) and new weapons, like shoulder-mounted ground-to-air antiaircraft missiles.

Finally, according to a preview in the latest issue of the Official US PlayStation Magazine, Mercs 2 will also feature "modern pirates." Perhaps this means you won't just be vying with the local Venezuelan factions but also with wandering bands of tooled-up reprobates fighting for nothing but plunder, bragging rights and fine silks. Or, you know, weapons of mass destruction.

Pandemic is currently without a publisher for Mercenaries 2, which seems ludicrous given the game's next-gen potential. But we're expecting the game to deploy sometime next year, and it can't be long until one of the bigger publishers is fighting it out for ownership of this heavyweight action game.

December 18, 2006