X360 Chromehounds detailed

Having barked about it at E3, SEGA's now announced that we'll be able to bite into Chromehounds on Xbox 360 next spring - and promised a "strong focus" on tearing chunks out of each other on Xbox Live.

Chromehounds (we were calling it Chrome Hounds back then) is the work of From Software, the Tokyo-based developer of the venerable (albeit somewhat impenetrable) Armored Core series, and shares AC's love of big stompy robots. However, in this case it's a squad-based affair - particularly on Live, where players will be able to play as Squad Members or as the "Tactics Commander", who's responsible for guiding the team to victory by bellowing commands through the headset.

Live games can be played cooperatively or competitively, with up to 12 players supported, and players will be able to customise the mechs they use with different equipment, AC-style. Think of them as Delta Force Mechs and you're probably not far off.

SEGA hasn't said much about the single-player modes, other than to say that it's a time of war when international factions use giant stompy robots to stomp the living... well, just stomp the living out of each other. The mechs, called Hounds, complement one another in terms of firepower, range of movement and other abilities.

As you can see from the screenshots, the Hounds are a handsome breed. We recognise those particular captures from the trailer shown off at SEGA's next-gen theatre during E3, when the game was originally unveiled. At the time, SEGA reps said the trailer was real-time.

Chromehounds should be with us in spring 2006 according to SEGA of Europe. We'll let you know what we mech of it.