Epic Games and Tecmo Koei have announced an Unreal Engine 3 licensing deal for a new game called Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, which we're told isn't like the regular Ninja Gaiden series of games.
The game is currently in development at Team Ninja with the collaboration of Keiji Inafune. It can be best described as a highly stylized Ninja Gaiden title with zombies—loads upon loads of them.
“We couldn’t be happier to develop Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z on Unreal Engine 3,” said Inafune. “In the past I have been involved with numerous projects built upon Unreal Engine 3, so I understand its benefits and reliability. Unreal allows us to focus on making the game fun, and to push the boundaries of visuals and gameplay in the shortest time possible.”
“Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is not a sequel. It is a new experience for gamers,” said Yosuke Hayashi, studio head of Team Ninja. “As with any new title, there are many new challenges, from the game design to art style and even development team structure. Unreal Engine 3 is a great ally to have when taking on those challenges. Unreal Engine allows us to quickly and efficiently iterate on countless ideas, and Yaiba is now taking on a life of its own. We can't wait until gamers everywhere get their hands on the ultimate ninja zombie experience.”
Expect further details to be released shortly. In the meantime, check out the screenshots they sent us below.