Brazen: Double Fine's latest prototype mixes Ray Harryhausen films and Monster Hunter

Double Fine's Amnesia Fortnight prototype jam , in which the gaming public get to vote on the game they make next, continues with the reveal of Brazen, a co-op brawler that combines the strategically-rich beast-slaying of Monster Hunter with the stop-motion creature features of yore. Hit the jump to see men punch a two-headed tortoise to death with oversized metal fists and admire project lead Brad Muir's modest but well-sculpted beard.

Brad Muir was also project lead on shooter-cum-tower-defence game Iron Brigade (previously known as Trenched) which was really quite good despite not featuring a single giant two-headed tortoise called Gorgoth. Muir aims to rectify this oversight with his new game, paying homage to the master of Hollywood monster movies, stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen. Brazen looks for inspiration in Harryhausen classics like Jason and the Argonauts, Sinbad and Clash of the Titans, bundling these epic beast-battles into a cooperative online format forged by the mega-selling Monster Hunter games. There's not been a Monster Hunter game on PC since 2007, which is something of a tragedy given that those games are not only hugely badass, but built for an online experience that the likes of Wii and 3DS couldn't muster here in the western world. Double Fine's offering should do well to fill this very palpable gap.

As in the Monster Hunter games, Brazen's players pick from a number of specialised classes and collaborate in taking down skyscraping critters. According to the blurb, the choices here are "the stout defensive Stalwart, the agile and versatile Waracle, or the drunkenly unhinged Beerzerker". And what's more, you can play it right now!

"The prototype will be available immediately to everyone who has already purchased the bundle, and will be a beat the average offer going forward," say Double Fine. "Both direct downloads and Steam keys will be available."

You can download Brazen's prototype, donate and vote here .