Deadly Dozen revealed

Infogrames revealed a brand-new first- and third-person World War II-based shooter called Deadly Dozen at its annual editor's day this week. Like Electronic Arts' upcoming Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, the game will take place between 1942 and 1945 throughout the various theatres of the war like North Africa, France, and Germany. The game will even re-create actual battles like the invasion of Normandy, Operation Firetorch, and the Battle of the Bulge.

The game is unique in that it lets players control up to six soldiers at any given time. In fact, players will be able to choose from 12 (hence the name) squad members to help them put the German forces down. Deadly Dozen will have 10 mission-based levels that will involve everything from stealing a briefcase with top-secret documents to assassinating high-level Nazi leaders. Like in Rainbow Six, players can either issue basic orders to their squad members like "cover me" and "fall back," or they can just jump from one soldier to the next and take full control of their actions. Each of their squad members can carry up to six weapons at once, including now-famous staples of World War II combat like the M1, the Colt 45, and the Thompson. Players will also be able to pick up dropped German weapons like the Panzerfaust and use them as their own, and they can even jump into and drive some vehicles like motorcycles, trucks, and tanks.

In an attempt to distinguish Deadly Dozen from the other similarly themed shooters that are coming out this year, Infogrames will be releasing the game for only $19.99. While this might mean that the game is indeed a bargain, it shouldn't be associated with the typical bargain-game stigma. The graphics, while not revolutionary, are on par with those of the current crop of action games. The character models look detailed and animate with hit-specific reactions. Additionally, the game will have weather effects like fog and rain. We'll have some screenshots from Deadly Dozen early next week, so be sure to check back then.