Sega's upcoming Wii brawler, MadWorld, is all about options, as in figuring out whether you should beat someone with a pole or shove it through their forehead. It's sort of like a 3-D version of the company's own Streets of Rage series, except instead of exploring a limited 2-D world, you wander through five detailed cities pummeling bad guys. Oh yeah, and there's lots of blood.

It's not about having the bigger chainsaw. It's how you use it.

Part of what makes this game unique is its gorgeous black and white visuals, which creates a stark contrast between its pure environments and the red gore.. Nowhere else can you put a man (upside down) into a flaming trashcan and watch his body burn. The same goes for picking someone up and intentionally holding them against a fan as its blades chop him to bloody chunks, and we barely scratched the surface of the horrible executions you can perform. Throwing a guy into a dumpster (with teeth no less), cuts him in half, while a minigame tasks you with chucking guys onto a platform and crushing them with a gigantic Death Press, the goal to fill the platform with blood. Finally, the game's protagonist, Jack, has a chainsaw on him at all times.

Despite the game's serious edge, MadWorld also has plenty of commentary. Why is Jack on a rampage? Someone signed him up for a homicidal game show, similar to the film Running Man. As he kills, sports commentators call the action, and characters with humorous names, such as the boss Herr Frederick Von Twirlenkiller, summons tornadoes just to amp up the risk for your demise.

In addition to killing people on foot, Jack also chops them up while on his motorcycle. As he barrels down the highway, he'll make huge jumps and slaughter enemies with his trusty chainsaw. The level we saw was devoid of evildoers, but we're sure it'll have plenty of baddies when the game debuts next March.

Thus far, MadWorld promises tons of ways to maim and kill, and the art style separates the game from the competition. We don't even need a prize for winning. We'd prefer to rip out and squish someone's still beating heart. Yes, you can do it.

Related Links

MADWORLD Game Guide