Ubi Soft sent along a press release announcing that they are working on the action FPS XIII, which is based on the latest Unreal technology. Not only that, but it will feature a cel-shaded world like we've seen in games like Jet Grind Radio and its sequel. It will appear on the PS2, GameCube, Xbox and PC in early 2003. XIII is based on a comic book license of the same name from Belgium comic book author Jean Van Hamme.

“We are constantly striving to push the gaming envelope, and XIII will create a world so unique and enthralling that gamers will become instantly engaged, said Laurent Detoc, president of Ubi Soft North America. “From the revolutionary first-person cel-shade animation, Unreal II technology and unique storyline, XIII reaches the limits of interactive gameplay never experienced before.”

XIII is the first FPS to utilize cel-shaded graphics to create a visually stunning effect unique within the action genre. The next-generation animation and Unreal II gameplay technology combine to illustrate XIII’s complex and immersive story. XIII features a conspiracy of epic proportions, and players will unravel clues behind the story’s compelling and mysterious events through the game’s unique flashback visuals.

Ubi Soft, the world’s second largest publisher, has a dedicated internal development team in Paris, France to ensure XIII's gameplay is innovative and offers a finely balanced combination of action and stealth, while showing players as-yet unheard of levels of interactivity and freedom. The Unreal II technology will enable development to ensure that textures are exceptionally smooth, enemy artificial intelligence is at the pinnacle of technological game design, as well as being perfectly fluid animated, even at high frame rates. Multiplayer gameplay features a host of new modes, with 4-player split screen on all console formats, and online play on both PC and Xbox.