But unlike many of its in-game characters it’s not dead, and instead has taken a change in direction. High Voltage Software (Conduit) revealed at GDC that The Grinder is now a top-down shooter. First appearances suggest it plays very much like Robotron or Gauntlet. The game will focus on multi-play with up to four players sharing the same screen and controlling their characters with dual-analog control: left stick for movement, right stick for shooting.

The Grinder places you in the role of a freelance hunter, in a wild west type setting, who sets out to eradicate blood-hungry monsters. Originally to be a Wii exclusive, the game will now end up on every console, which “allows [High Voltage] to show off what our company can really do and get it into the hands of the most gamers”, boasted a company spokesperson. The Grinder is still scheduled to release late in 2011 on the Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.