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Clusterball gets a sequel

PC ball-grabbing in Q4.

Resolution Interactive has announced it's working on Clusterball 2, tentatively pushing a release date of Q4 2007.

The sequel will arrive seven years after its predecessor was quietly launched, and boasts obvious technical and graphical improvements, as well as a host of new features.

We're promised a new overhauled weapon system, allowing offensive, defensive and combined weapon choices. You will also make tactical decisions about which aircraft you choose, whether it's the small and fast ship or slow and heavy option - each brandishing unique pros and cons.

Five new game modes enter the fray: Fatball, Stronghold, Capture, Shootout and Clusterball Racing. Community features such as automatic tournaments, viewer servers, massive team sections and oodles of measure points are also crammed in.

"Clusterball 2 excels its critically acclaimed predecessor in all areas and is set to be a milestone in gaming history."

Details of the sequel emerged on the freshly launched website late last week, along with a new trailer for the title.

Clusterball is an online PC flight game for up to 12 players, in which the ultimate goal is to collect as many balls as possible whilst trying to stop your opponents doing the same. To defeat the opposition you must force them to crash, making use of flight-altering weapons such as the control-reversing missiles.

We thoroughly enjoyed the original back in 2001, though niggles with the physics engine and in-game advertising spoiled our party. The commercial side will be re-appearing in this sequel, but we know [hope! - Ed] you don't mind an advert or two when it means the product you receive is of a much higher quality. Ahem.