Coded Arms Assault screens decoded

One of E3's surprise announcements was that Coded Arms - the good-idea, not-so-good execution PSP shooter set in a virtual world - would be continuing on PS3 in 2007. Sony's super-machine will seemingly let Coded Arms Assault play to its hacker-in-a-virtual-world concept's strengths, with whole Tokyo city blocks shimmering into existence among hails of sparkling pixels and gunfire.

We've just received the latest round of shots (check the Images tab for the full set), showing that the game is still covering the screen in as many real explosions and virtual Matrix-style code effects as it can manage. Sadly, some of the more striking enemies shown in the E3 trailer (hit the Movies tab above to watch it), such as eerie stilt-walking attack robots and helicopter gunships dropping off assembly lines of troops, aren't present.

We hope it doesn't become too much of a corridor-and-box-room shooter - something the PSP original was guilty of - but it seems publisher Konami is keeping many of the game's secrets away from prying hackers' eyes. At least those showers of sparks and glittering special effects can enliven even the grimmest of warehouses, as players of PC gunfest F.E.A.R. can attest.

August 24, 2006