Ben-DutkaOne of the most popular arcade hits of yesteryear is returning on Sony's handheld, and is it any surprise Sega's at the heart of this little resurrection?
Sega is teaming up with Planet Moon to deliver the latest in the After Burner franchise, which has also seen a revival in the arcades. Today, Sega confirmed After Burner: Black Falcon for the PSP, which should feature 19 licensed fighter jets and multiplayer modes. Planet Moon has also implemented a storyline (don't keel over from shock), but we probably shouldn't expect much in the way of Shakespearean drama.
Briefly, the story goes like this- an underground mercenary organization – coincidentally named "Black Falcon" – has stolen 13 top-secret fighter planes, and it's up to the player to retrieve them before all hell breaks loose. Translation: the fast action will be back and better than ever, so get ready to blow a ton of stuff up.
"As huge fans of the original After Burner, we are delighted to re-imagine this classic arcade franchise," said Planet Moon Studios CEO Bob Stevenson in the announcement release. "Most importantly, it's approximately 9000% more portable than the original arcade cabinet."
Furthermore, the gameplay has been significantly enhanced and expanded. This time around, gamers will be able to customize their fighters with a healthy selection of various weapons and other components (new engine, anyone?). As for the aforementioned multiplayer, the game will boast both head-to-head and co-op, although we're not sure yet if it'll be online.
The announcement did not include a release date; all we have for the time being is the generic "some time in 2007" statement. But that's okay, because After Burner: Black Falcon will likely be worth the wait, especially for old-school aficionados.
Related Game(s): After Burner: Black Falcon
