A relatively under-the-radar game, Mindjack is the latest offering from developer feelplus, and will be published by Square Enix. In the game, players "hack" into the minds of various entities in the world, including civilians, soldiers, mechs, and even animals outfitted with cybernetics.

The game takes place in the future, 2031 AD to be precise, and governments are no longer in control. In their place, corporations vie for control of the population. How are they doing it? Through mind jacking, of course, the process of which is detailed here.

A new trailer showcasing the various characters whose minds can be jacked has just been released. Each character type possesses different qualities and will excel in certain respects. Mechs have more firepower, the animals are stronger, and the people are numerous, so players will not run out of "cannon fodder" options. Take a look at the trailer.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjYN8IDjKWk

MindJack appears to borrow some concepts from a semi-obscure GameCube game called Geist, in which the player was a disembodied spirit that had to possess others in order to accomplish goals throughout a level. It's a unique setup, and Mindjack seems to have it's own twist on the mechanic. Buzzing from body to body seems like it could be action filled, and may give players a number of options in any given situation.

A second, and more light-hearted, trailer for the game details the results of what happens when people have access to Mindjack technology too early and use it on the wrong target, specifically a dog. Mindjack once again proves the old axiom that just because someone has the technology, they shouldn't always use it, especially if they have a dog that does crazy stuff when it's out of the house.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeLgXjmlZMY

Finally, there are a few new screenshots to check out, displaying some of the action that makes up MindJack. Many show situations that a appear a little mis-matched. Man vs Robot almost never ends well, for either the man or the robot.

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At first glance, the game's story seems a bit dry, and raises some questions about how it will motivate players to really immerse themselves in Mindjack's fiction. Though more details may yet come to light, the game releases next week, so time is running out.

Graphically, the game seems reminiscent of Front Mission: Evolved, which is not a bad thing by any means. Of course, it is the gameplay that matters -- functionality can be much more important than form. Mindjack's concept is interesting enough, but the question of whether or not its gameplay can keep up remains.

Ranters, are you anticipating Mindjack? What do you think of the game's basic mechanic?

MindJack releases January 18, 2011, for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.