Raven is putting the final touches on the newest installment of their gore-fest franchise, Soldier of Fortune, a title that will bring John Mullins back into the hearts (and heads… and limbs) of gamers everywhere.

Soldier of Fortune set itself apart from the glut of first-person-shooters with its over-the-top carnage. Players assume the role of John Mullins, a real-life mercenary for hire, in the attempts to thwart several nefarious factions throughout the world. Mullins’ proficiency with firearms of every different type became obvious when one well-placed round would either send body parts flying, or, in the case of the shotgun blast to the head, vaporize them clean off the body. The title had the good fortune to also have everything else players look for in a title (graphics, sound, good story); a benefit that added to the visceral thrill of the gore to make one helluva package.

Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix was originally slated to appear on American store shelves at the tail end of 2001, but has been delayed until spring so that can put the fine touches on the aspect, as well as the “Random Mission Generator” feature, a unique gameplay scenario that creates randomly generated terrains and mission objectives, thereby enhancing the title’s replay value greatly. According to Raven, SOFII will feature 10 Single Player Missions Spanning 70 Levels, and feature full deathmatch/team deathmatch multiplayer support.