I’ve just got word about yet another very promising indie title that’s going to be released later this year: vehicular combat game Metal Drift, developed by Portland-based Black Jacket Studios. This is their first project and I must admit it’s pretty impressive already: great visuals, 12 player futuristic car combat and multiplayer all the way!

Metal Drift features no less than 56 different heavily armed vehicle configurations with all sorts of weapons and upgrades available, plus a unique energy system which can be directed toward increased speed or more powerful weapons. But I’m sure you already knew that this game is even since I wrote “vehicular combat”…

“There are a lot of things that come together to make Metal Drift a very different game”, said Brian Ramage, President of Black Jacket Studios. “It’s got the speed of a racing game combined with the first person view of a shooter, and the cockpit of a jet fighter sim. We’re emphasizing an immersive experience in a post-cyberpunk environment. I haven’t seen an arena combat game that really brings the player into it, so they feel the excitement of the crowd and the grandeur of a professional sport. We’re very excited to bring this kind of experience to life.”

And just to get the numbers straight, Metal Drift features 5 different arenas (and hopefully the number will be expanded), 15 unique weapons and upgrades, a few racing elements, goal oriented team based gameplay and, of course, a full ranking system. Unfortunately, there is no exact release date set for the game, but we’ll keep our eyes on the game’s official website and let you know if we find something out.