It looks like Jack Bauer is about to have another very bad day. Man, how many can this guy have? In a matter of four different seasons, he's had a heart attack, lost a wife, risked the relationship with his daughter, and, as of recent, has been declared dead, although he's far from it. (Sorry if I spoiled it for you guys.) Now his bad day's about to turn five-fold, with the forthcoming release of 24: The Game, due this fall from the folks at Sony's Cambridge studios.

Surprisingly, however, Sony's not picking up on the publishing rights of the game. Instead, 2K Games will be bringing this effort stateside, and fans of the show should be thrilled, as it follows the formula of the show perfectly through a series of stages that resemble a similar storyline to the hit TV show, which just wrapped up its fourth season. In the game, you take control of Bauer as events unfold following an attempted assassination attempt on President Palmer, following hot on the heels of the cliffhanger finale from season two. You'll run into a few familiar faces from CTU, as well as a few enemies that no doubt want you dead.

The game spreads across four different types of stages, each unique in their presentation. The first involves over-the-shoulder shooting, as you take control of Bauer on foot as he works his way through buildings and streets, taking down potential targets with a little gunfire. These stages still seem somewhat shoddy but hold some promise, especially where the level design and targeting are concerned. The game resembles the TV show in terms of its intensity and this engine is looking nice thus far, it just needs a little smoothing over.

The second type of stage involves the interrogation of a captured subject. As fans of the TV show may realize, a good interrogation can mean all the difference between victory and defeat. Sony Cambridge has a wonderful system in effect where you can use different approaches to your interrogation, complete with a system where you can begin to wrack your target's nerves until they finally crack. It may take some time to get used to, but it's definitely a system with promise.

The third type of stage is probably the least exciting, but it's a good technical part of the show. It involves trying to pinpoint potential shooters and snipers that could cause a threat to a person you're trying to protect, and you'll have a limited amount of time scanning building floor plans and "marking" potential targets before it's too late. Then Bauer will go to work and take out the targets before they become a viable threat.

The final type of stage, however, is invigorating and a nice touch- it involves driving. As the game's storyline unfolds, Bauer can commandeer a number of vehicles scattered across Los Angeles, tearing through terrain that resembles the city while avoiding deadly enemies through a series of car chases. The game controls in this type of stage are awesome, complete with precise handling and even a few multi-angle cutaways that resemble the look of the show, all while giving you real-time control. Cool.

24: The Game still has a little ways to go before it can become a true contender to the field of multi-tier action gaming, but, man, the fact that the show's formula has been dialed in so well to this style of game is a guarantee of promise all its own, you know? We'll have a full review upon the game's release later this fall, so count the minutes until its arrival.