My overwhelming impression from Ubisoft’s demo of Furious 4 was relief. Relief that this is not replacing the main Brothers in Arms series, but is a spinoff branch. This was the very first thing that their representatives stressed, allaying any fears that they had entirely butchered the brand.

Put simply, Furious 4 is Inglourious Basterds, the game. If you’re cynical (like me), you might suppose that they started developing a game of the Tarantino film, then discovered that they couldn’t use the license. The game’s concept is an homage at best, pure laziness at worst.

Either way, it looks like it’ll be a lot of fun. The four player co-op mission that was demonstrated showcased its humorous arcade gameplay, which wraps around a loose plot to kill Hitler. Each of the four characters have their own distinct combat styles and weapons, which appeared to combine well in the gameplay shown.

Weapons shown included bear traps, chainsaws, flamethrowers and plenty of throwing axes. Nazis on jetpacks and in helicopters flew around overhead. To say that liberty has been taken with history is a minor understatement, yet by so obviously not taking itself seriously, Furious 4 sets the right tone.

The game is clearly designed to be best enjoyed when playing four player co-op online, but it’s possible to play single-player with the A.I. taking over your other squad members. Whoever you play it with, it looks like this will be entertaining light relief before the next tactical Brothers in Arms game is released.