An underground race, a grudge, and on Mars - am I the only person who thinks of Total Recall?...

Red Faction Armageddon has passed under the radar somewhat this year. When I came to write my top 10 upcoming games list at the start of the year, it didn't even get a look in for the sole reason that, despite my videogame enthusiasm, I had heard little to nothing about its upcoming release. Furthermore, 2011 has already been so saturated by controversial and eagerly anticipated titles that Armageddon has remained fairly quiet.

However, I intend to change this. Red Faction, for me at least, has been one of the most enjoyable shooters of the last 10 years, and its success is testament to the professionalism and enjoyment given by the franchise to date. We have already covered the preview event - and have the review ready to go when the embargo is lifted - but I want to help spread the word as best I can, so why not keep you up to date with the latest news. After all, bar any further delay, the game is due to be released on the 7th in North America, with Europe and the rest of the world looking at a release date of around the 10th June.

So, without further ado, please see the latest teaser trailer 'leaked' by THQ to get us - the social media and fanatic fan-base - talking ahead of its imminent release:

To me, the teaser presents a number of promising signs. First off, there seems to be an intriguing storyline. From what I can gather, 50 years have passed since Red Faction: Guerrilla, and the user will play as Darius Mason, grandson of Alec and Samanya from the previous instalment of the series. Since that time, the surface has become uninhabitable and life has become minimal; that is until Darius stumbles upon Adam Hale, son of a former Earth Defence Force captain, and a man with a formidable grudge to the Mason bloodline.

Secondly, the tie in of a Red Faction TV movie - developed by SyFy and THQ respectively - is sure to add an interesting twist to the game's release. Could it be that, through careful involvement, THQ and SyFy can finally provide a half-decent videogame to film adaptation? I'm not holding my breath, but I'd like to hope so.

Finally, it looks immersive; like a title that, from start to finish, uses its intrinsic storyline and constantly developing characters to keep you hooked. If Red Faction: Armageddon has learnt from past success stories such as Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed - two games I feel offer an level of immersion far above their competitors - then we could be in for a treat.

Either way, make sure you stay with us here at Shadowlocked, as we intend to follow this closely in the run up to its release.

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