Epoch in on rails shock

GAMES DEVELOPER Uppercut Games, a studio made up of development veterans credited with working on the critically acclaimed Bioshock series, has announced a title for IOS devices.

Epoch, a third-person shooter using swipe controls and cover gameplay and featuring mechanical characters who claim bolt-on upgrades from downed enemies, is set for release in the last quarter of 2011.

This handheld title takes advantage of the hugely successful and popular Unreal Engine; the same technology used in Gears of War and the Batman: Arkham games.

While this all sounds very promising, the announcement trailer released earlier today falls flat on the promise that Epoch will be the first Goldeneye of the smartphone generation.

There appears to be very little freedom to move from one area to the next at your choosing. In fact the only movement we see is the occasional flailing limbs of a robot as it cartwheels from one side of the screen to the other dodging bullets as it goes.

If Epoch is in fact an 'on rails shooter' it will represent the single greatest misuse of some of the industry's most brilliant creative minds. Granted most shooting games are linear experiences - Call of Duty is a prime example - but with former Bioshock brains behind the game we were hoping for a glimpse of the sprawling adventure seen in the depths of Rapture.

Uppercut Games hired former employees of Irrational Games, producing Tribes: Vengeance and Freedom Force before unleashing Bioshock onto the world.

Watch the trailer for Epoch below and let us know what you think about the upcoming Iphone and Ipad title. Are we right to worry about the pedigree of Epoch? µ