'De Blob 2' readies itself with vibrant pre-launch trailer

Extolling the virtues of paint-by-numbers in a digital age, de Blob 2 might not have the Hollywood licensing of LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean or the big money marketing of LittleBigPlanet 2, but it does have plenty of color, sound, and a mischeivous creativity.

Ramping up for the game's February 22 release (February 25 in European regions), THQ has released a video clip that sets up de Blob 2's storyline - Comrade Black has returned, jerry-rigging election ballots, bent on leeching color and joy from the Raydian's rainbow world.

It's up to de Blob to set things straight, bounding around dull cityscapes, splattering them with bright paint, liberating Chroma's citizens from their dulled Graydian state with help from fellow members of the Color Underground.

de Blob 2's predecessor was a 2008 Nintendo Wii and DS game that was the result of a student project at the School of Arts in Utrecht, the Netherlands, hence the city's adoption of de Blob as mascot.

This time around, de Blob will be bouncing around on not only Wii and DS, but also Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. There's a 3DS version in the works, the PS3 game is compatible with its Wii-style Move controllers, and both PS3 and 360 version support 3DTV output.

The cheery demeanor of de Blob 2 contrasts with launch week companions Bulletstorm and Killzone 3 - more serious opposition presents itself in the form of The Sims Medieval (Mac and PC, March 1) and Pokémon Black & White (March 6, DS).

Watch the de Blob 2: The Big Takedown trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slasQh_17z4
The series' official website is http://www.deblob.com