Mr. Machine Gun

   While the cliffhanger ending of Konami's Zone of the Enders made a sequel inevitable, most assumed that the next game in the series would be another PlayStation 2 title. Confounding these expectations, the sequel will instead appear on the Game Boy Advance in the form of Z.O.E.: The Fist of Mars.

   The date in the title indicates that the GBA game is indeed a sequel, taking place after the events in 2172 that are recounted in Zone of the Enders. However, it's difficult to tell from currently released screenshots whether or not young hero Leo Stenbuck or any of his allies return.

   Obviously, Z.O.E.'s gameplay will have to be reworked to accomodate the step backwards in technology; indeed, it appears that Fist of Mars will feature an action-RPG style of combat, rather than the 3D action of its parent title.

   Although fairly close to release this September, very little is known about the game. Look for more information from this August's Spaceworld.