Let's get this out of the way: G-Force is not a game based on the 70s Japanese anime starring bird-helmet wearing space super heroes, or the 80s rework of the classic. No, this one is about Guinea Pigs.
The G-Force action title is set to hit on July 21, a few days before the Jerry Bruckheimer-Disney CGI live action film of the same name scurries onto screens.
In both the game and the movie, the story follows a team of guinea pigs who have secret lives as spies trying to prevent a billionaire drunk on power and money, trying to take over the world by turning household appliances into killer robots. You know, that old chestnut.
Despite the, to put it kindly, fanciful concept, the action game looks like it could be a relatively pleasing title for younger gamers. In it, players control Darwin, a guinea pig packing an array of neat gizmos. He has thermal vision for solving puzzles and fighting in the dark, an electric whip for melee attacks, a jet pack for flying and turning his four-on-the floor waddle into a sprint. He also can purchase eight weapons including guns that freeze, act like shotguns, rifles and even a gun that lets him hack into evil appliances and get them to attack one another. Darwin can also climb pipes.
While the game is based on the movie and it's appliance army, their are about 80 percent more enemies in the game than in the movie, said Disney Interactive Studios Ben Weitz.
The game's 30 or so enemies include walking irons that shoot fireballs, flying CPU coolers, weaponized toasters, alarm clocks, waffle makers and electric shavers.
Darawin also has a device that can weaponize appliances, instantly turning them into enemies, but also letting him use them to solve puzzles, like using their attack to blow open a door or get him around barriers.
Finally, Darwin can call on the help of a house fly named Mooch. Mooch has to stay within a certain distance of Darwin and can only be used for a set time before returning to the guinea pig, but he's got some specific talents useful for puzzle solving.
He doesn't die, he can use a laser to throw switches, he can fly and he can temporarily slow down time.
All said the game, which is being developed for the PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Wii and Xbox 360, will run about eight to ten hours long. Separate DS and PSP versions are being developed by Keen.
Weitz said that the studio is also looking at releasing a free and paid version of the game for the iPhone. Something more along the lines of the iPhone based on Bolt and meant to work hand-in-hand with the marketing campaign for the movie.
While the movie features the voice work of Nicholas Cage, Tracy Morgan and Penélope Cruz, there's no word yet on who may do work for the game.