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Months ago, we got wind that a Batman: Arkham Asylum-style Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game was in production - leading to speculation that fan-favorite developer Rocksteady Studios was making the jump from Gotham City to the sewers of New York City. However, the studio quickly debunked the rumors and soon after, we learned that Activision had actually tapped Red Fly Studios to create a four-player downloadable game centered around the iconic reptilian heroes - titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

Since that time, Red Fly has released a pair of trailers showcasing core combat gameplay - with the second specifically focusing on wise-cracking Michelangelo and his iconic nunchucks. Now, the studio is giving us a standalone look at the rebellious Raphael (in the video above).

Details are still slim on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows story and overall game layout. As mentioned, there are definite Arkham series influences: free-flow combat (complete with final kill slow-down effect), dark arena-like environments, and stylized/acrobatic attacks.

TMNT Out of the Shadows Raphael Trailer

However, it's unclear what series of events funnel the turtles from one gang battle to the next, whether or not the game will include familiar villains for boss-fight encounters, as well as the exact scope of the environments - specifically, is New York City an expansive open-world like Arkham City or a smaller room-to-room Metroidvania labyrinth like Arkham Asylum? That is, if the Out of the Shadows world even allows for exploration instead of a single linear path of generic sewers, warehouses, courtyards, and rooftops.

In addition to the same ninja combat seen in prior trailers, the Raphael teaser provides a clearer look at how players can utilize the environment while brawling with the Foot Clan - such as parkour wall-running. It's hard to imagine the parkour acrobatics can be used mid-free-flow-combat without breaking a combo but it's still cool to see that Red Fly Studios is taking the "Ninja" element of TMNT seriously - not just ripping-off Rocksteady Studio's Batman combat with a Ninja Turtles reskin.

Easily one of the most intriguing elements of the game is the promise of four-person multiplayer, and assuming Out of the Shadows' combat is akin to the Arkham series, we're eager to see how Red Fly intends to incorporate more than one character into the stylized combo-based gameplay - without turning the experience into a complete mess of flailing green limbs and interrupted hit-streaks. If the developer can replicate the fluid fighting seen in the solo trailers when more than one player is present, Out of the Shadows might deliver a very enjoyable co-op experience. That said, if playing with friends actually muddles (or outright breaks) the pace of one-man-versus-a-crowd combat, the studio had better be sure their single player campaign can carry the title - with multiplayer serving as a thin but fun supplemental experience.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows

Without cool villains and a smart story, gamers could easily tire of repetitive combat encounters and bland environments seen so far in the trailers. Still, there's a lot we don't know about the game and hopefully Red Fly has plans to show gamers more than just a Donatello as well as Leonardo trailers before release. The combat looks fine, but without any context or gameplay of key features, it's hard to know what to expect - especially considering we're very close to Out of the Shadows' summer release.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows does not currently have a set release date — but expect the game to arrive on PC, PSN, and XBLA this summer.

Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick.