Fatal Inertia: Race-y new next-gen info

Fatal inertia - sounds nasty or, indeed, fatal. Badumtish. Anyway, if you're unfamiliar with Koei's PS3 and Xbox 360 title, in a nutshell it's a futuristic racer that combines, erm, racing with combat and features a physics engine allowing players to do the likes of blow chunks out of the environment to obstruct the opposition. New info and screenshots released by Koei this morning fill us in on some of the game's locations (both versions are due March 2007).

LOST CANYON
The passage of time goes virtually unnoticed amidst the towering arches of the Lost Canyon. Abandoned since the closing of a mining operation in the early 20th century, this canyon has remained largely unchanged over the past two centuries. Relics of the operation remain abundant throughout the canyon, from caves carved out of the solid rock to cranes and dilapidated buildings. Racers must be wary of these obstacles as they are not quite as sturdy as they once were.

DEEPWOODS PASS
Once an active logging camp, Deepwoods Pass has now mostly returned to its natural state. The sensation of speed is extreme while racing through the depths of this temperate rainforest. Blowing past pristine old-growth redwoods and expansive marshlands at more than 200 kmph can be extremely dangerous and piloting through harrowingly narrow paths cut through walls of rock is borderline suicidal. One of the most challenging locations in Fatal Inertia, Deepwoods Pass will see drivers flying through waterfalls, racing headlong into thick fog, and reacting to avoid the massive, dead trees that can come crashing down at any time.

PARADISE ISLE
Somewhere in the south pacific lies a group of undisturbed islands, surrounded by emerald-green waters and white-sand beaches. These uninhabited islands look like an ideal paradise with breathtaking scenery replete with the vivid colours of tropical flora and shimmering water. However, Paradise Isle is not a vacation resort; it's the beautiful backdrop for the races of Fatal Inertia. Racers must be careful to keep their minds on the competition and not on the scenery or they may find themselves headfirst in the sand, or worse, into a rocky outcropping. The courses in Paradise Isle may seem relatively less constricting than those of other locations, however, shipwrecks and other hazards that have washed up on the shores make for very challenging races.

DEVIL'S PEAK
Devil's Peak was given its name after its last major eruption decimated a section of nearby Echo City. The remnants of this formerly prosperous industrial region are scattered throughout the area, from the skeletons of buildings and abandoned vehicles to discarded gas canisters and oil pipelines. The mountainous terrain consists of many shear cliffs and vertical drops that make racing extremely treacherous. Combined with rapid twists and turns, the racecourses on Devil's Peak are akin to a massive roller coaster ride without rails.

GLACIER BAY
True to its name, glaciers float in abundance in the waters off the coast of Glacier Bay, a snow-swept region in the northern Rockies. Racers must navigate their way through forests of evergreens, plunge headlong into ice caves, and avoid the jutting ice formations when out on the water. While obstacles are plentiful in Glacier Bay, its courses exhibit unsurpassed freedom as there are many ways racers can cut corners and find new ways to get ahead. Precision handling skills will be vital to success in Glacier Bay as blinding snowstorms occur frequently in the region. The ability to handle these conditions separates the elite drivers from the rest of the pack.

Screens Here