Upon walking into the tiny room Sega had Platinum Games crammed into in their closed-door section of the E3 floor, we thought that Bayonetta would be the only title on-hand. Then, our wildest dreams came true and we were graced with what is sure to be a day one purchase for us: Wii title MadWorld.

We're not kidding. You'll want to buy this game.

Platinum Games has a very tiny room located in the back of Sega's closed door area. Within this tiny room is a mountain of gaming goodness, as the former Clover folks had two very solid titles to show off. The first game we got to check out is PS3 and Xbox 360 action adventure title, Bayonetta.

In a Q&A session with Gamespot, the folks at Sega detailed some of their plans and expectations for the recently announced four-game publishing deal with Platinum Games. The agreement, which grants Sega exclusive rights to Mad World (Wii), Bayonetta (PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360), Infinite Line (DS) and a mystery title from Resident Evil designer, Shinji Mikami, was officially announced during a special event last week.

"The guys at Platinum are just at the top of their game right now, and what they've delivered is so clearly AAA in every way, when they started to show us product, we had to have it," said Sega of America president, Simon Jeffery. When asked about the marketing challenges inherent in starting up three (possibly four) new IPs, Jeffery notes that Sega is in it for the long run. "What we've seen today is the starting point, but all of those games--Bayonetta, Madworld, Infinite Line--won't be one-offs," he explained. "They're all uniquely different enough from everything in their space to build complete franchises out of. The whole foundation of PlatinumGames is built around that long-term strategy."

Though talk of franchises this early in a game's life would normally elicit concern, the ex-Clover talent at Platinum Games could certainly do with the commercial success to match their critical acclaim. Y'know, aside from the Devil May Cry and Resident Evil guys.

Infinite Line director Hifumi Kouno of Nudemaker showed up at last night's Platinum Games event (fully clothed, to our surprise) to debut the studio's forthcoming sci-fi RPG for DS. The game is built around two key concepts: Players command (1) a "highly-customizable" spaceship through (2) a "large and expansive" world that encompasses two galaxies. The team has prepared over 150 ship models, as well as more than 150 potential crew members that can be stationed around the ships. The insides of the crafts are modular, so players can place the bridges, engineering rooms, fire control rooms, etc. as they see fit.

As per The Space Opera Mandate® of 1941, Infinite Line will explore "what it means to be human" in this touching adventure around the stars. Nudemaker plans to show off some actual screenshots -- that will apparently "blow you away" -- in the near future.

Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya asks, "Have action games really progressed past what we accomplished seven years ago?" Speaking at last night's Platinum Games coming out party, Kamiya recalled his efforts to "kick start" the action genre into 3D with Devil May Cry back in 2001 and said, "we, as creators, have squandered an opportunity to make things better, smoother, more intense, more engaging" since then. Fear not, Kamiya has returned to "make good on [the] promise of seven years ago." Enter: Bayonetta -- "action to its climax."

Bayonetta is named for the game's main character, a witch reborn in the modern day to join a war against angels (apparently someone hasn't been spending her afterlife Up There). "Not only does she kick and punch, and have two guns in her hands, she actually equips guns on her feet." If that's not enough to mow down those beasts of heaven, then Bayonetta's also got her witchcraft, an arsenal of top-secret "abilities" ... And that's all we've got to go on, for now -- 'cept for the trailer after the break!

MadWorld currently has the distinction of being the only Platinum Games game that we've actually seen -- you can peep the debut trailer after the break and first-time director Shigenori Nishikawa (adorned with an incredible MadWorld shirt) demoed the game for us live at last night's Platinum Games event. First, he prefaced the gameplay with the following sentiment: "We didn't want to create a game that was depraved or perverse but rather featured comical, over-the-top violence so that anyone can enjoy it." So think less Manhunt 2 and more No More Heroes.

In fact, Nishikawa repeated this mantra throughout his demo, after every scene of grisly violence, he'd remark about how "lighthearted" the game was. And every single time, the skeptical audience laughed at (with?) his enthusiasm. We begin the demo by meeting Jack, the protagonist, set in a black-and-white world accentuated with flourishes of red blood. He begins tangling with enemies, throwing them into the spiked walls (sometimes over and over and over), tossing them into dumpsters only to have the lids sever their bodies at the torso, or shoving a street sign through their face, then dragging them around. Most notably perhaps is the chainsaw attached to Jack's arm ("everyone loves chainsaws," Nishikawa reminds us). With one swift flick of the Wiimote, you split enemies in half, right down the middle. After that: Man Darts. What?

At a private event last night, a very excited (and cautious) Sega told us about their new partnership with Platinum Games, the creative team comprised of former members of Capcom's Clover studio. Sega of America pres Simon Jeffrey introduced them like this: "These guys are some of the most talented, some of the most respected guys in the entire gaming business. Their portfolio is incredible, they're revered, they're almost worshiped in some parts of the gaming community and we're very truly honored to be working with them."

The first three games should come as little surprise to anyone reading Joystiq the last couple days: Bayonetta, by Hideki Kamiya, creator of Devil May Cry, Okami, and Viewtiful Joe; Infinite Line, by Hifumi Kouno at Nudemaker, creator of Steel Battalion and, before that, the Clock Tower series; and MadWorld, a mad-cap feast of ultraviolence for -- you guessed it! -- the Wii by first time director Shigenori Nishikawa.

Gallery: Platinum Games / Sega announcement

We brought you the rumor yesterday of Sega inking a deal to publish titles by ex-Clover staffers' Platinum Games, and a couple of new videos on GameTrailers basically confirm it. We're sorry about the quality (they're shaky-cam videos from a mysterious source), but we think you can get the idea. The first, seen above, is a super-violent Wii game called MadWorld.

After the break, you can find a clip from Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya's Bayonetta. It's a story of a girl with guns on her feet (based on the classic short story by John Steinbeck). Look for higher-quality versions of these clips to rear their heads soon with Sega's Gamer's Day taking place tomorrow.

[Update: It appears that (surprising no one) Sega has had the videos pulled down. Let's hope we get higher quality versions tomorrow.]

[Thanks, Fernando]

Oops! Looks like some Sega news slipped through the grip of an embargo. The now-removed report detailed an agreement between Platinum Games – the development studio born from the ashes of Capcom's much-loved Clover Studios – and Sega, who will publish three of the developer's titles. Those three games are Bayonetta, directed by Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya, featuring a female protagonist with "guns on her feet" (finally!); a DS sci-fi RPG titled Infinite Line; and an "ultra ultra violent" Sin City-esque Wii game titled MadWorld. There's a good chance we may hear more during Sega's Gamer's Day event on Wednesday but, for now, consider this one a rumor.

"YEEEeeeees!!!"

We couldn't agree more with Shinji Mikami's recent exclamation on his blog, where he announced that work had finally begun on a new, untitled project. The blog entry (translated by IGN) explains that the Resident Evil creator has managed to assemble a development team for his first endeavor under the Platinum Games banner. Though he says that more staff will be required to complete the game, we don't expect the lack of creative talent will pose much of a problem considering the company he's keeping at the studio.

Mikami, eventually joined by Viewtiful Joe's Atsushi Inaba and Devil May Cry's Hideki Kamiya, departed Capcom in 2006 to form a new company, Seeds. In September 2007, it was announced that Seeds had merged with ODD Incorporated and ruined changed its name to "Platinum Games." NOOOooooo!!!

Shortly after producing the strikingly beautiful Okami and relentlessly challenging God Hand, Capcom's Clover Studios was duly rewarded with cold commercial apathy and prompt liquidation. In February, the studio's lead designer trifecta -- Viewtiful Joe's Atsushi Inaba, Resident Evil's Shinji Mikami and Devil May Cry's Hideki Kamiya -- formed a new studio, Seeds, and began the process of hiring new employees.

Just over seven months later, it appears that Seeds will wither before producing even a single game. The company's recruitment website now states that Seeds will undergo a merger with a company called "ODD," resulting in a change of name to "Platinum Games" as of October 1st. No upcoming projects are mentioned, though one would hope that the new title becomes reflective of the success that's eluded Clover for so long.

[Via IGN]