CES 07: Gauntlet II Hands-On

LAS VEGAS--Sony Online Entertainment let us check out an early version of its conversion of Midway's arcade classic Gauntlet II on the PlayStation 3 today at CES. The game is being developed and published by SOE, with Digital Eclipse handling the conversion chores. The arcade classic hit the streets in the late '80s, following up on its addictive predecessor by offering new mazes, enemies, and a number of other tweaks and improvements.

The version on display appeared to be feature-complete and supported two players offline. The game looked and played just about how we remember it. The control layout was alright, although we'd like to see an option to customize it. Though the visuals are looking spot-on with the original game, it would have been nice to see an option for upgraded visuals. Besides what's looking like a good conversion of the original arcade game, SOE and Digital Eclipse are making additions to the experience. The title will support 720p and feature online multiplayer as well as online leaderboards.

So far Gauntlet II is looking like a solid conversion of the retro classic that retains its appeal. The game is still fun and the multiplayer is still addictive. We're curious about the standard selection of unknowns for SOE's retro titles such as how it plays online and how much it will cost. Hopefully Sony will shed some light on when and how much the game will cost when it becomes available soon. Gauntlet II is currently slated to be available in the PlayStation's online store in the early part of this year. Look for more on the game in the coming months.