Despite some of its largest games being previously announced at other press events, Konami came out swinging during the events of today's E3. Two of the Metal Gear Solid titles Konami has planned for the future, Metal Gear Solid: Rising, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D were glimpsed in the Microsoft and Nintendo press materials. That left a hole for Konami to fill with some brand-new announcements across various genres.
For Microsoft's new Kinect motion peripheral, Konami had two title announcements. The first was DanceMasters, a new title in the vein of Ubisoft's Just Dance. Players will “ move their body to the beat and position their bodies to a variety of on screen markers, giving gamers the ultimate dance club vibe with the most realistic and exhilarating dancing experience to date.” The game will feature 30 tracks from the club music genre, and players will be able to challenge up to four friends to a dance-off. DanceMasters is slated for a Fall release.
The second Kinect-based title is Adrenalin Misfits, a crossboarding title taking players across numerous fantastical vistas without leaving their home. Players will become crossboarding creatures racing across “seven different lands from all around the world including snowy mountains, triple cascades, stormy deserts, limestone caves, glacier lands, hollow caves and volcanoes.” Gamers can choose to use either the in-game monsters, or their very own Xbox Live Avatar. The game, which includes several multiplayer modes like Free Mode, Trick Mode, Balloon Buster, Half Pipe, and Big Air, does not yet have a release date.
The oddest announcement was Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. Coming this Summer to Xbox Live Arcade, the game brings together ten classic protagonists from previous games in the series in a multiplayer fanfest. Up to six players can join together over Xbox Live and play cooperatively or competitively in levels inspired by Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclesia. Players can also participate in a Time Attack of the levels, and then upload that ghost data to share with friends and competitors. Harmony of Despair is one title that has to be seen to be believed if you're a Castlevania fan.
Konami also announced that DanceDanceRevolution for the Wii was returning to its roots and dropping the “Hottest Party” subtitle. The game packs all the music players have come to expect from the series, and can be played using the classic dance mat, the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or the Wii Balance Board. "DanceDanceRevolution is back and better than ever, combining entertaining and physically engaging gameplay with all of Nintendo Wii's interactive capabilities," said Shinji Hirano, President of Konami Digital Entertainment. No release date was announced for the title.
Finally, the company also revealed a new Saw title, Saw II: Flesh & Blood. Tobin Bell, the original Jigsaw, will reprise his role for the gaming sequel. "Tobin Bell had such a prevailing performance in the first Saw game that there was no question about bringing him back for the sequel," said Hirano. "Having Tobin's voice and likeness inSaw II: Flesh & Blood will give players their own haunting one-on-one relationship with Jigsaw, creating a horrifying and frightening experience that no Saw fan will ever forget."
