Introducing I.R.I.S., the Lococycle, the Artificially Intelligent Motorcycle Assassin

Austin, Texas, based Twisted Pixel is developing a new video game featuring a sassy sentient motorcycle martial artist racing down highways and fighting an army of jetpack-equipped special agents. Yes, that sounds pretty silly, but it’s clear Twisted Pixel’s upcoming “LocoCycle” doesn’t take itself too seriously. That being said, the game looks to be quite fun.

Here’s a quick synopsis. I.R.I.S. is a talking, intelligent motorcycle assassin trying to fight her way to defeat her evil counterpart S.P.I.K.E. Think a motorcycle version of K.I.T.T. from “Knight Rider” with a black belt. LocoCycle’s gameplay consists of I.R.I.S. hurtling down a highway dodging traffic and leaping up in the air to lay slap, chop, punch and run over dozens of enemies, all the while dragging along Pablo, her erstwhile mechanic/comic relief.

Like I said, silly yet fun.

This is how Twisted Pixel describes its star:

“Presenting I.R.I.S. Two-time Valedictorian of the illustrious Big Arms Academy’s School of Assassination. Proficient in over 40 forms of unarmed combat, earning Sensei status in Jiu-jitsu, Aikido, Krav Maga, and Jeet Kune Do. Equally deadly with blades, handguns, and the latest in nuclear technology.”

LocoCycle features an impressive-sounding voice cast. Actress Lisa Foiles provides the voice of I.R.I.S. while Robert Patrick of “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” and “X-Files” fame voices S.P.I.K.E. Poor Pablo is voiced by actor Freddy Rodriguez as profiled in the video below.

Twisted Pixel revealed the gameplay for LocoCycle last Labor Day weekend at the PAX Prime 2012 gaming expo. Accompanying the display were real-life versions of I.R.I.S. and S.P.I.K.E. built by Austin’s Southern Metal Choppers. I.R.I.S. is a sportbike with a torpedo-like fairing with two wheels on independent swingarms at the rear. S.P.I.K.E. on the other hand is a mean-looking chopper that’s almost more knife than motorcycle.

LocoCycle is slated for release sometime in 2013 for the Xbox 360.