E3 06: Steel Horizon Preshow Report

Konami has revealed new details about Steel Horizon, the upcoming WWII naval strategy game for the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP from Climax. With gameplay that blends both turn-based and real-time strategy, players will command an Allied fleet of battleships, submarines, fighter planes, aircraft carriers, destroyers, and more as they take on both Axis forces and a shadowy, evil organization over 20 missions that take place in both the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. You'll get to choose the military hardware that your fleet is comprised of, and there will also be three unique flagships that you can choose to command from, which will themselves be customizable.

Though specific details on the gameplay are a touch slim at this point, Konami has said that players will use turn-based gameplay to position their fleets, then jump into real-time gameplay when it's time to actually engage the enemy. The action will be presented with dynamic 3D camera angles, with the promise of damage states for the various vessels and impressive weapon effects. Both the PSP and DS versions of Steel Horizon will feature support for local, head-to-head competition.

There seems to be a certain realistic aesthetic at work in Steel Horizon, though there also seems to be a good bit of revisionist fantasy at work here, as one of the first screens released for the game showcases a massive, triple-smokestacked submarine with several huge artillery guns and communication towers. Konami promises that Steel Horizon will be playable on the floor at E3 2006, and is currently scheduled to blitz both the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP this fall.