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E3 09: Undead Knights is Pikmin with zombies photo

Of the games Tecmo was displaying at its E3 booth, one of the most intriguing looking titles was Undead Knights. I'd heard absolutely nothing about this PSP game before the show rolled around, but now that I've seen it played and been talked through the title's features, I must say that it's looking like one of the coolest PSP games to have hit the system in a long, long time. 

If you enjoyed titles like Pikmin and Overlord, as well as the movie Army of Darkness, then hit the jump for a first look at Undead Knights. You should find yourself most interested.

The story tells the tale of a dutiful knight who once dared to speak out against the king and his domineering new wife. He finds himself murdered for his insolence, along with his brother and his fiancé on their wedding day. However, the slaughtered knight makes a pact with a demon and returns to wreak vengeance.

The story is said to be heavily influenced by the Evil Dead series, and will be full of inappropriate dialog and silly shenanigans. Tecmo says you'll be playing more of an anti-hero than a truly heroic figure, not least for the fact that the king's soldiers will view him as the bad guy. Undead Knights also features a "raging metal soundtrack," just in case you needed a clearer idea about just how camp and silly this game will be. 

It's the gameplay, however, that really sets this particular handheld title apart. Playing as one of the three murdered characters, you will have the power to grab enemies and then turn them into mindless zombie slaves. You simply grab a soldier by the neck, lift him up, and wait for him to turn, becoming your willing servant. You can have up to ten zombies at any given time, and can even make slaves out of huge mid-bosses as well. 

The zombies can be commanded to perform various tasks, able to bring down gates to allow your knight to pass through. They will also attack enemy soldiers and help turn them into fresh zombies. If you're feeling particularly vicious, you can order your zombies to "tear them apart," and watch as they mericlessly drag opponents down and rip them to shreds. If that wasn't enough, you can also pick your rotting friends up and use them as shields, or simply toss them at enemies. Your zombies will continue to fight for you with lost limbs and missingn heads, too, although they won't last forever, so you're constantly attempting to replenish your army.

I was shown a boss fight against a large opponent, and got to see how the zombies could be ordered to jump and hang onto him. When enough zombies did this, the boss was dragged down to the ground, allowing the undead knight to hack him to bits. After doing this a few times, the knight then grabbed and turned the boss into a huge and devastating zombie thrall. 

With combo attacks, ad-hoc co-op and competitive play, and a good sense of dark humor, Undead Knights has all the tools to be one of the PSP's standout titles. It's a fresh and inventive take on videogame zombies, and has enough vicious hack n' slash combat to entice hardcore action junkies. Undead Knights is looking brutally stupendous.


LAUNCH GALLERY (18 IMAGES)
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16 comments | showing # 1 to 16

Bulkmailer's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 13:43
Bulkmailer
This looks about as metal as it gets for a psp game.
killias2's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 13:48
killias2
I really like the idea... but something seems suspiciously shallow about the gameplay videos.
Syn's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 14:08
Syn
I agree with Bulkmailer. I haven't seen a moar metal game in a while.
The main character makes me think of Cecil if he had testicles.
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 14:10
Professor Pew
I may need a PSP? :/

It looks like DW meets Overlord. Maybe a bit shallow but fuck me if I don't want it.
MrSlippery's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 14:17
MrSlippery
hrm. Looks fairly fun. I'll keep my eyes peeled for it.
rpbowlinggod's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 14:25
rpbowlinggod
something seems "Drakengard-ian" about the combat but if I had a zombie hoard, I don't think I'd care that much
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 14:29
Chronic Logic
I thought Twisted Metal was the metallest of them all on the psp?

The graphics seems a little raw, hopefully this is just an early build. And yea, something seems a little off with the gameplay. The enemy just seem to cluster around and wait to get slaughtered.
wutang4ever's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/05/2009 16:30
wutang4ever
looks awesome and co-op play too? awesome
King Hippo's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2009 02:16
King Hippo
I would love to see a real metal game, and not just self referential tongue in cheek deathklok type stuff, but a legitimately metal game. I think brutal legend might be the closest I'll get. Hopefully they put some morbid angel on the soundtrack. Dammit I wish i wish I were a game developer.
Gh0ulunatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2009 10:36
Gh0ulunatic
@King Hippo: Good luck with that. Is anything serious in metal anymore? What is your idea of a serious metal game?
Danielzilla's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2009 17:55
Danielzilla
@King Hippo

"Metal" is a fucking joke on its own. Their is no way to make anything "metal" and it not be a self-referential cheesy waste of time. Metalocalypse comes a lot closer to being a "serious metal game" than Brutal Legend will ever come. Brutal Legend is a huge fucking joke. Jack Black is in it. It is made by Tim Schafer. It will be a joke.
Danielzilla's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/06/2009 17:57
Danielzilla
Rather metalocalypse comes closer to being a serious metal experience (not game) than I believe Brutal Legend will. At least Dethklok are kind of good as opposed to Judas Priest, Ozzy, etc. All that music is a joke without trying. Brendon Small makes Dethklok a joke on purpose.
Ace Flibble's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 23:11
Ace Flibble
Tecmo just sent out an e-mail that links to this article. Just so you know.
Nick Chester's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/03/2009 08:12
Nick Chester
@Ace:

Yeah, we just got that! Very nice of them.
whormongr's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/03/2009 09:44
whormongr
looks pretty fun esp. for a psp title
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