Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising

The mythic age of the Romans and the Greeks has been fertile ground for creating compelling stories for millennia. It was a time of myths and legends, and the developers at Perpetual Entertainment are working to build on that rich history. Their upcoming MMO release, Gods and Heroes, is going to shake the MMO world.

Combat in Gods and Heroes is expansive. Players have options for outfitting their characters with a variety of weapons, from swords and shields to massive axes to paired daggers to the hurled javelin. Combined with the individual character classes there are a lot of possibilities for the players to explore. Currently there is only one race, the Romans, but the development team is already working on plans to introduce a second race. And perhaps more. As new races, complete with cultures, deities, and flavor are added to the game it will introduce a kingdom vs. kingdom aspect to the game.

As if this wasn’t enough, Gods and Heroes is incorporating one of the leading features of the recent crop of first-person-shooters: squad-based combat. Players can build up a personal camp, attract followers, and even coerce mythical beasts, such as the minotaur, to serve in their army. Players can assign followers from their squad. The squad follows the orders of the player, complete with the ability to design new unit formations on the fly. Followers are equipped individually, allowing the player to create specialized warriors. Healers, archers, or heavily armored warriors to stand toe to toe with the enemy are all possible.

The economic and social dynamics of the followers are also included. Warriors must be paid or their morale will dwindle. Players can raise the morale of their followers by providing them with funds, better camp amenities, and time off. Your followers can spend time in the public baths or the local bar and gain morale. The wise player will also minimize the risks to their followers. Lost followers must be replaced, and the new recruits must be trained and equipped.

Another form of character advancement available is the “divine favor” route. All players are half-blooded children of the gods. Heroes in the tradition of Hercules and Achilles, bound to their divine parents. By accepting their place in the cosmic order, seeking to please their parents, and offering sacrifices players can gain access to “god powers,” divine spells. These powers can be unleashed, spending your divine favor to rain down powerful effects upon your enemies.

The graphics are visually stunning, both in their complexity and the ease in which they appear. Players can enjoy a breathtaking world rich in detail. During the preview I was given, the developers ran an avatar through a small fountain. The water rippled around their legs and formed waves as the avatar splashed his way to the edge of the fountain. The water’s surface rippled in reflected light, a truly marvelous sight. In the wilderness areas the tall grass sways gently in the breeze, adding more detail to an already impressive game.

The outside world is very large. The test zone we were shown was two square kilometers. Given that the game is based off of the historical city of Rome and its surroundings there is plenty of room for expansion in the world. As it stands players can explore forests, the sandy hills of the Mediterranean, and more. Simply standing on the hills overlooking the sea and watching the waves roll in is worth the trip to the beaches. The waves flow realistically, surging up the beach and forming whitecaps where they pound into the rocks.

The multiplayer options in Gods and Heroes are open to a great deal of fun. Individual players can group together. They can even coordinate their squads into a larger army. Player vs. player combat will be enabled in the forms of duels when the game is launched. Players will be able to fight one another individually or with their followers at their backs. The developers were positively enthusiastic about the possibilities for players to work and fight with one another. In a player group individuals are able to organize their followers into specialized roles. One player could be responsible for the front line while another is responsible for the archers, for example.

We also got a brief look at the quest system. The developers said that they were designing the game so that some areas will have multiple level ranges available, so that as your character advances you will find reasons to return to places where you adventured before to finish a quest series. It will give high and low level players an excuse to run into one another and interact. The quests available will include traditional “hunt and destroy” missions, recovering lost treasures, and fighting to push back the barbarian invaders who threaten the safety of Rome itself.

The MMO role playing genre is going to be blessed with several new games being released in the next few years. Gods and Heroes has every sign of being an exceptional member of a very competitive category of games. Impressive graphics, innovative single and mass- combat, and creative design will definitely make Gods and Heroes a game to watch.

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