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Jaws Unleashed details, pics

With "dismemberment engine".

Ah, sharks - the most misunderstood and misrepresented of all the world's creatures. Well, Majesco is giving you the chance to experience what it's really like to be a bloodthirsty razor-jawed man-eating monster from the deep this summer with the release of Jaws Unleashed for PS2, Xbox and PC. You can see some screenshots here.

It seems Amity Island has prospered in the years since the sharks gave up and moved away, and now the locals have signed an agreement with a huge company called Environplus in a bid to boost the economy.

But wouldn't you know it, the deal has only gone and encouraged yet another Great White to start lurking around in the shallows, no doubt attracted by the high living standards and improved job opportunities.

When the son of Environplus' CEO becomes the victim of a fatal shark attack, renowned hunter Cruz Ruddock is hired to seek and destroy the perpetrator.

But marine biologist Michael Brody - who seems to have learned nothing from what happened to him in Jaws: The Revenge, not to mention what his Dad went through in all the films before that - gets some idea about capturing and keeping the shark for research. Hippy.

The twist is that you get to "be" the shark, swimming and chomping your way through "more than ten" destructible environments whilst trying to avoid Ruddock and Brody.

There are both free-roaming and story modes, and a wide range of underwater, surface and air attacks to choose from. The game's "dismemberment engine" allows you to tear objects and victims apart piece by piece, and "Shark Vision" lets you target and attack people before they can say "Ow, what happened to my legs".

Multiple side missions are promised, such as time, stealth and chase challenges, and bosses include a big fat killer whale and, er, a boat.

The game's being developed by Appaloosa Interactive, a studio already familiar with underwater adventure having created Ecco the Dolphin. Let's just hope they remember to make the shark a bit harder.

Jaws Unleashed will be back in the water this August.