Ubi Soft Entertainment today announced the development of XIII, a unique first-person shooter (FPS) game that creates a completely interactive graphic novel within a cel-shaded world.

XIII is based on the comic license of the same name from Belgium comic book author, Jean Van Hamme, and the game will be powered with next-generation Unreal II technology. XIII will appear across PlayStation2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox and PC CD-ROM and is targeted for a Q1 2003 release.

"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.

There you have it folks! A brand new FPS for the GameCube! As soon as we get our hands on screens/info we will let you know.