Avalanche unveils unsigned AionGuard News

Avalanche has unveiled its upcoming fantasy action adventure AionGuard for PS3 and Xbox 360, which is as-yet unsigned to a publisher after the Swedish developer bought the rights back from its previous collaborator.

The game, which graces the cover of this month's Edge, puts players in the symbiotic armour of a titular AionGuard in a world of magic-chucking armies that's billed as a shooting game rather than a hackandslash.

Described as "a mix of WWI dogfighter pilots, samurai and medieval knights", the AionGuard cast powerful magic, hijack swooping dragons and use them like flying warhorses, and transform into 60-foot Golems of immense power, only susceptible to the clambering blades of little soldiers who need to be shaken off at intervals.

The goal is to retake the world from the naughty Nazurbaal, who have almost vanquished your race of Aiwon, and in the process you will need to recon the land and assist armies in capturing neo nodes, driving the battlefront forwards by setting an example in combat, and befriend local tribes.

There are lots of Lord of the Rings comparisons from the developers in the Edge piece. Apparently Gandalf and the Riders of Rohan approaching Helm's Deep out of the sun at the end of Two Towers is a touchstone for production - "a great moment in the story as well as a great action sequence".

Other influences include the "science-fantasy" of Frank Herbert, Michael Moorcock and Robert E Hoard. And Star Wars.

It's also worth noting that the developer is adamant the game not be confused with an RPG, which apparently happens in meetings with publishers who struggle to think beyond role-players when faced with a fantasy game. "We're not making an RPG, this isn't about going to the woods and grinding," the devs told Edge.

You can read more about the game in the latest issue, and Avalanche is expected to update its website in a while with more details.