These screens from the Playstation 3 version of the game don't really do much to change my mind.

The game will let players take on the role of one of the game's dozen playable G.I. Joes or four of the unlockable COBRA operatives. The game includes two-player coop and 20 levels. It is due out on Aug. 4 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable as well as mobile phones.

But instead, we've got more "Yo, Joe!" shots of Snake Eyes, Duke and some random dudes blowing stuff up. Mind you, blowing stuff up is cool and all, but I can get that with any other war-based shooting game. Where else can I turn for shiny-headed bad guys and their bespectacled mistresses if not G.I. Joe?

And what does the HD on the back of that guy's pack stand for? These screens are most definitely not Hi-Def...

"The game will share some fundamental designs with the console version," said Nick Pavlich, associate producer on the game. "In the DS version you only control one character, there's a slight RPG element — you can level up, get new weapons and new outfits."

The game will include six playable G.I. Joe characters and five Cobra characters. Gamers will move with the D-pad and shoot with the B button.

A secondary weapon will be tied to the Y button, with dodge on the A button, melee on the X and a special move on the right trigger and reload on the left trigger.

All of the action takes place on the top screen with the bottom screen used for the map and to list objectives. The game won't include touch support because that didn't really work well with the-down arcade feel of the game, they said.

There will be 21 levels in the single-player campaign and three modes in multiplayer: Joe Versus Cobra, Warhead and Defend the Base. Mutitplayer will be multi-card local wireless only and includes four maps for up to four players.

"It wouldn't work if we just followed what was presented in the movie, which is an origins film, to have a fun gameplay you want to get right in and start blasting away at Cobras," said Jason Enos, senior product manager for the game.

So the game, slated to hit a day or two before the Aug. 7 movie, will start off where the movie ends.

Players will take on the roll of one of the dozen Joe characters playable in the game and, because G.I. Joe is all about teamwork, the game will always have two characters on screen at a time. With two-player drop-in coop, it can be a single player or multiplayer game.

But, Enos said, there won't be support for online coop.

The game plays from an odd angle, with the characters seen from a quasi-isometric view, and typically playing up, almost into the screen. Movement is done with the left thumbstick and targeting with the right.

The controller's right trigger shoots, the X button is a melee attack. Special attacks are performed with the B button and you strafe with the left trigger.

Auto-targeting reticules show who is aiming at who. An enemy has either a green or orange reticule on them if they are targeted. If they have a yellow reticule, than both players are targeting the enemy.

The game also has features the accelerator suits from the movie which temporarily make the characters invincible. The suits also can shoot missiles, rail guns and give characters boosts of speed.

You can swap characters as you play, by finding and getting into a swap chamber during the mission, but all 12 characters are not unlocked initially.

The game's characters are broken into three types, heavy, combat and commando, each of which have some special abilities needed to get into certain areas, much like what was seen in the LEGO games.

G.I. Joe features 20 missions, four PSAs and 75 file cards hidden throughout the game. At one point you will also switch over to the side of Cobra to play some missions. The game can also be replayed as some of the Cobra characters.

The game has three modes, casual, advance and hardcore. When played in casual you have infinite lives. In advance, lives work a bit like Left 4 Dead, with characters returning after you hit a check point. In Hardcore, once you're dead, you're dead.

The game is due out on the DS, mobile, PSP, PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360. The Wii version, Enos said, will include some motion controls. For instance, the game will say "Yo, Joe" when you hold the remote in the air and some of Snake Eyes attacks will be performed by slashing with the remote.

Speaking with some of the development team earlier this week they said that the already have four public service announcements built into the game which can be unlocked by players. They're the serious ones from Hasbro.

But they also love the silly PSAs that have appeared on the Internet over the years.

They like they so much they've actually recorded some voice over work for both Body Massage and Pork Chop Sandwich. They haven't, though, received permission from Hasbro to include them in the game.

Yeah, I wouldn't be waiting around for that phone call.

The shots depict Snake Eyes doing various things, because Snake Eyes is pretty much G.I. Joe's main draw. The rest of the original toy characters just looked like the extended cast of The Village People, after all. Didn't stop me from buying most of them as a kid, but I was young and stupid then, instead of the older stupid guy I am now. Not so stupid, however, as to let EA, the filmmakers, or anyone else tell me the robot in the screenshot above is a Battle Android Trooper. This is a Battle Android Trooper. I don't know what the hell that generic piece of trash up there is supposed to be.

"As Hasbro and Paramount Pictures reignite the G.I. Joe property this year with an all-new toy line and film, EA is excited to play a major role in bringing this icon of pop culture history to a new generation of enthusiasts through interactive gaming," said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro. "G.I. JOE offers exceptionally rich storylines and a cast of characters that lends itself incredibly well to creating an over-the-top action adventure video game that will thrill gamers as well as G.I. Joe fans."

The game will release this summer to coincide with the theatrical release of G.I. JOE; The Rise of Cobra live-action movie on Aug. 7. G.I. Joe will feature a storyline that picks up where the movie leaves off and includes a dozen G.I. Joe characters. It will also include a single-screen co-op mode.

According to the game's website you can:

* Assemble an elite JOE team and call in reinforcements when the mission gets down and dirty.
* Choose from 12 of your favorite JOEs, each with a unique set of skills and weapons.
* Gear up with the latest in high-tech gadgets.
* Jump into, steal or hijack powerful G.I. JOE or COBRA vehicles, then fire away!

EA is developing G.I. Joe for the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation Portable, DS, Xbox 360 and Wii. No word on a PC version or iPhone mini-game collection... yet.

OK, which 12 characters should be playable in the upcoming game, besides Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow.

G.I. Joe Game Site

[via Capcom]

Hopefully, it won't just be relegated to mobile phones and Pogo.com, instead featuring billions of red lasers and blue lasers generating next-gen sparks, ultimately missing every single intended target. Sure, the G.I. Joe movie may have a few head-scratching choices, but that doesn't mean our inner eight year olds aren't wicked psyched.

EA develops Hasbro properties [Variety]

Yo, Wayne! Lost Planet superstar signed to GI Joe movie [Capcom US - The Blog]