S.L.A.I mechs a difference

August 17th, 2005

Massive robots specifically designed to fight for the entertainment of a future society provide the focus of Konami of Europe's S.L.A.I (Steel Lancer Arena International), an online-compatible action title for PlayStation 2, due for release worldwide in September 05.

Set in 2071, S.L.A.I portrays a world where a battle between colossal robot fighters is the most popular sport. Starting on the bottom rung of the professional ladder, players begin with a basic mech and must defeat a series of opponents in order to raise the money needed to upgrade it. S.L.A.I features a huge number of weapon and body modules that can be combined to create over a million variations of Mech.

The action itself is shown from either a first person or third person view within a series of futuristic arenas that include Hong Kong, London, Cairo and New York. S.L.A.I's solo mode concentrates on the player's attempts to create the ultimate fighting machine, and features a series of plot twists within its 50+ hours of intense action. A secondary 'Quick Battle' mode, however, lets the player loose with a number of robots for arcade-orientated bouts.

S.L.A.I also features a unique online mode, allowing up to six players from around the world to compete against each other via the PlayStation 2's network service. Marking the first online mech game for the format, four players can slug it out simultaneously, with two more waiting in the wings to jump in when a player loses. Mechs created during single player mode can be used online, giving players access to camouflage, missiles and stronger, more effective limbs.

S.L.A.I (Steel Lancer Arena International) will be released for PlayStation 2 in September 2005.