Ubisoft is keen for gamers to come to its new shooter, Red Steel, clued up about the gritty and dangerous world they'll explore in the sword-waving and gun-toting adventure. To bring you up to speed, it's divulged some details about the game's central characters. In addition, we have a clutch of new Red Steel shots, which you can see by hitting the Images tab above.

Red Steel follows the exploits of an American who is engaged to Miyu, the daughter of a Yakuza leader who gets sucked into a power struggle between warring clans. It's a spirally plot full of betrayal and deceit, so here are some names to get familiar with and a description of how they fit into the game:

Isao Sato
Miyu's father and a Yakuza leader trying to become a legitimate business man (so he's a good guy). After being wounded in an assassination attempt he gives the game's hero his sword, the Katana Giri, to use on his quest to rescue the kidnapped Miyu.

Tokai
He's the main baddie and the leader of a rival Yakuza clan. He's obsessed with getting hold of the Katana Giri - not only because it's dead sharp, but because it's a symbol of Isao Sato's power.

Otori
An ex-Yakuza member, Otori becomes a mentor for the game's hero, teaching him how to wield the Katana Giri.

Harry Tanner
Friend of Sato and the hero's main contact with the Tokyo underworld, Harry is the owner of a club that has a shooting range in the back - perfect for mastering Red Steel's unique brand of blasting.

Mother Reiko
Reiko is a geisha boss who pleads with our hero to rid her neighborhood of Tokai's pimps.

Mama San
She is Tokai's mistress and soon becomes in charge of Tokyo's geisha district.

Kenzo
An old and cowardly boss of the Shiba Financial Group, Kenzo falls under Tokai's influence.