Epic's Bulletstorm Officially Announced

Gears of War developer and Painkiller creator People Can Fly today officially announced Bulletstorm, following the shooter's unofficial revelation on Friday.

Boasting "over-the-top combat moves and outrageously large guns," the original Painkiller dev's shooter rewards players "for inciting mayhem in the most creative way possible" with points to upgrade their character and unlock new weapons.

Bulletstorm was the second of the two games due to be revealed by Epic's Clifford Michael Bleszinski on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Thursday before he was bumped by Justin Bieber, the other being Gears of War 3--also confirmed unofficially.

Hitting PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Bulletstorm is due to arrive no later than March 31, 2011, according to publisher EA Partners.

We'll likely learn more of Bulletstorm tonight on Jimmy Fallon--and of course when the new issue of Game Informer hits--but for now, here's the announcement's description.

Bulletstorm tells the story of a futuristic confederation protected by an elite band of mercenaries: Dead Echo. When Dead Echo members Grayson Hunt and Ishi Sato learn they've been working for the wrong side, they're betrayed by their commander and exiled to the far reaches of the galaxy. In Bulletstorm, Grayson and Ishi find themselves surrounded by hordes of mutants and flesh eating gangs in an abandoned paradise. They have two objectives: get off the planet alive, and exact revenge on the man who sent them there.

Players step into the role of Grayson Hunt complete with an arsenal of over-the-top combat moves and outrageously large guns. Bulletstorm's array of distinct 'skillshots' produces unprecedented levels of frantic gameplay and yell-inducing satisfaction. The skillshot system rewards players for inciting mayhem in the most creative way possible. The more insane the skillshot, the more points players collect to upgrade their character and unlock weapons, which then allows them to execute even more creative moves and exaggerated skillshots.

"Bulletstorm is the kind of game we love to make because it's pure, unadulterated entertainment," said Epic president Michael Capps. "People Can Fly has created a wildly fun first-person shooter that looks gorgeous running on the latest Unreal Engine 3 technology, and the skillshot system is a welcome addition to the genre."