Hello, all you PlayStation Blog readers! They call me Mike Meeker (because that’s my name), and I have the distinct honor of being the Lead Editor for Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament, a fun-fueled PSP action-adventure brought to you by the fine folks at Atlus. The people running the PlayStation Blog have been kind enough to let us toot our own horns, so now’s my chance to tell you all about this game. Well, not all about it, because we want to leave some mysteries for you folks to discover

This poor chump must have loaded up on MISSiles.

Take a trip back in time, to a simpler era where people lived in friendly communities, the Industrial Revolution was in full bloom, and people rode about town in those new-fangled two-legged Trotmobiles. That’s right. The automobile is still around, but the walking Trotmobile is much more popular, especially in Orion City, where the game takes place. Incidentally, that’s also where the nation’s largest Trot company is headquartered, and the Orion City Trotmobile Battle Tournament decides who’s the best Trot driver in the land.

At the start of the game, you’re out to make a name for yourself as an up-and-coming Trotmobile driver, with an antiquated machine and no respect. Luckily, you’ll earn the friendship of a mechanic named Venus, and the two of you will take on all comers in your quest for championship. Of course, if the game was all about gladiatorial combat, it would get a little dull. You’ll get a lot of say in how your character acts, and your responses might have an impact on what happens later… But I recommend going with your gut, because I and fellow editor Clayton Chan had a lot of fun writing all these lines, along with the other characters’ reactions. (The fact that the majority of the hilarity is voiced only adds to the majesty.)

Seriously, haven’t you ever wanted to say this to some irritating optimist at one time or another?

Back in the driver’s seat, you’ll find loads and loads of customization waiting for you in the shop. You’ll have a wide variety of parts and accessories to choose from when kitting out your Trotmobile, and some will give you an edge in combat while others will allow you to do the jobs you’ll be undertaking all over the city. You’re not alone in the tournament, though, and you’ll be facing a veritable menagerie of Trotmobile riders, designs and equipment loadouts in the ring.

How tough could this guy be? I bet he’s got a day job where he sits behind a computer all day.

You won’t have access to all the good stuff right from the start, of course, but that’s what the jobs are for. When you’re not fighting for the amusement of the crowd or exploring the wilderness, you can climb out of your vehicle to take on jobs all across the city and the surrounding areas, from simple deliveries to demolition work to ghost hunting and celebrity reporting. Take your earnings and put them into buying better parts for your Trotmobile, or else you’ll be caught unprepared for the challenges ahead, and even worse, people with questionable fashion taste will make fun of you:

Harsh! Are you just gonna that that guff? It’s even harsher when you hear it voiced. Some of our QA testers cried.

So, you’ve got turn-of-the century (the 20th century, you history sticklers) mechs stomping around, kooky characters, personal freedom, vehicle customization, and the ability to take part in a grand tradition of furious gladiator combat. (You’re a winner!) What more could you want? You probably want some multiplayer action, with up to 4 players or something. Well, fine! It’s in there like swimwear! You can even play with 4 players using a single copy of the game! Now what more could you want?

Personally, all I want is to make you aware of this game, and if I have to make my Trotmobile ride the Space Shuttle up into orbit and surf back down to Earth on a piece of the Space Station, I’ll do just that.

…No, Sammy, that’s not a real move. But that would be wicked awesome. Look for Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament to hit on June 30th!