We've had our eye on Titmouse Games -- the developer born out of animation house Titmouse Studios --  for awhile now. Its a team that's brought its unique aesthetic and artistic voice to everything from animation projects like Cartoon Network's Metalocalypse to the over-the-top cut-scenes of Activision's Guitar Hero. They also like to party. Hard. And smash things. That is something I think we can all stand behind.

Today, the developer shot over some concept screens for one of its first titles, Seven Haunted Seas. The images are gorgeous, but came in an email accompanied with little to no description of what was going on. This is norm in the industry; usually have better grasp on what we can expect from the title, which gives us something more to write about. 

But Titmouse has been in silent-mode about the details of Seven Haunted Seas for awhile. So we asked them: What's going on here in the screenshots? We really just wanted a general overview really, but Titmouse's Aaron Habibipour surprised us with some absolutely amazing detail. 

Hit the jump for the exclusive low-down and an early look at Titmouse's Seven Haunted Seas and the adventures of the skeleton pirate, Pete.

Well, it makes sense. Titmouse Games -- a games studio, you may remember, that makes games -- is partnering with Kevin Eastman, publisher and co-creator of Heavy Metal Magazine, to create a line of games based on Heavy Metal properties. Familiarity with the magazine’s style isn’t an issue -- Titmouse is famous for its work with Adult Swim cartoon, Metalocalypse and the adorable grit of Afro Samurai.

According to the press release, the first project is a “sci-fi action title” called Fistful of Blood. The story, originally published in Heavy Metal, has about everything you can ask for: alien bounty huntresses, vampires, zombies, and revenge.

No release date or console was mentioned, but don’t be surprised if this pops up on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network or Steam when finished. Titmouse Games “strives to ‘keep-it-real’ through the digital distribution of original content ... and pulling at heart strings with the prolific usage zombies and pirates.”

I added that part after the ellipses, but it’s oh-so-satisfyingly true.

We don’t know much about Titmouse Games’ Seven Haunted Seas. But we do know four basic things: it’s an action RPG, it’s coming to consoles, the artwork has some serious style, and the protagonist, Scurvy Pete, is a pirate zombie.  

Actually, scratch that number. After you watch the video post-jump, you’ll know a fifth fact: Seven Haunted Seas will have ninjas. Possibly zombie ninjas.

The footage you’re about to watch was cut from the end of the trailer revealed yesterday. As we understand it, Titmouse Games thought it impacted the tone negatively. I can’t disagree more. Any clip, no matter how brief, of ninja-on-zombie action is as heavenly as a painting of two gloamgozers sipping lemonade on a cloud made of ice cream. Divinity on this scale always trumps tone -- at least, according to a book I've conveniently misplaced for this occasion.

And yeah, gloamgozer artists, I just went there.

Titmouse makes games. I wasn’t aware of that factoid until this afternoon, when I came across Titmouse’s press release leading off with the statement “We Make Games.” Just to be clear: today, Titmouse announced the creation of Titmouse Games, a games studio that makes games.

If you’ve ever watched Metalocalypse, cheated for Achievements in Avatar: The Last Airbender, or slashed dudes in Afro Samurai, you’re familiar with Titmouse -- they did the animation for all of those properties.

Titmouse's first project as a studio looks tasty. It’s an RPG called Seven Haunted Seas, and you can view the newly released teaser trailer at the game’s official Web site. As you may already suspect, the visuals are dripping with personality and vigor. The story isn’t a slouch either -- you play as a hardcore pirate who has been punished by the gods for challenging them. The punishment is death, but as the trailer’s narrator concludes: “... there is redemption. You will have to claw your way through the hell you created for yourself to the one you created on the Earth.”

I’m excited for it. Any opportunity to be a zombie pirate is a blessed one. Way to go after my heart, Titmouse.