Here's the first press release, beneath is one of the latest press releases. What really stands out is that you get to fight with mini-guns and lasers 
You can download the demo here: http://www.gamershell.com/download_22666.shtml I'd like opinions on the graphics, the combat system, the way you level up, character speach or lack thereof? Horse mounted combat, quests, items/armor/weapons. Would you go buy it for 20-30-40-50$ ? Some of the features mentioned in the first press release didn't make it till the finished game as it is now!
"Latest details on the game
Akella presents the long-awaited details on its internal project, the "Hard to be a God" RPG based on the novel of the same name by Strugatsky brothers.
The "Hard to be a God" game will be a thoroughbred role-playing game affirming all the best traditions of the genre. The storyline is non-linear presenting several story branches with 4 endings depending on the main character's in-game behavior.
The game utilizes a 3D-engine with free rotating camera. Wounds, weapons, armor and different equipment are shown on the characters' models.
One of the gameplay features is the interference of two epochs in the game universe ? the medieval and the alternative future. This provides the peculiar variety of different weapons and armors ? from swords and bows to miniguns, from full plates to force fields ? and equipment like binoculars and night vision goggles at characters' disposal. The standard RPG equipment "doll" is amplified with slots for sword shoulder-belts and hidden weapon scabbards on wrists and arms.
The combat system features many different combos and special attacks (stunning, disarming, etc.) provided by some abilities and special weapon types. During a battle the character can be wounded badly which will diminish his attributes and require long recover, and even lose a limb or be decapitated by a strong attack of the opponent.
A player controls only the main character. The rest of the party is managed by orders. The volunteers traveling with the main character can obey or disobey orders depending on the form the order was given in (strict order, persuasion, intimidation, etc.), while the mercenaries will obey any order given in the proper form.
The Kingdom of Arkanar is divided into many locations. The party will travel between the locations using Arcanum-styled global map. The movement speed will be influenced with the world relief. The party can also ride mounts to move faster. The new locations can be revealed from dialogues with NPCs.
The trading mechanism features selling and buying items for different currencies (universal currency, irukanian gold and so on) or bartering them if both sides are satisfied with the offer.
One of the most prominent features of the game is of course the true spirit of the Strugatskys' novel. The game universe, the dark medieval atmosphere, the key figures from the novel, the Kingdom of Arkanar, ? the whole world from the book is being carefully created anew under the supervision of one of its demiurges, Boris Natanovich Strugatsky.
The great variety of social strata typical to medieval age provides another game feature which can be called "the true role playing". Depending on a situation or an environment, a character can choose a role to play, pretending to be a noble man or a mere citizen or a member of some guild. This allows him to gain trust of NPCs with different alignments. A player can create several legends for each role of his character. The character will introduce himself with this legend to NPCs. If the truth behind the legend is revealed, the player can make up another legend reading books and talking to other NPCs.
The corrupted bureaucrats of Arkanar are easily bribed. This provides one more way of completing the game. For example if you need some papers to pass you may bribe the guard who demands the papers. A character can also buy the forged papers or make them by himself if he has proper skills.
Many gameplay elements and features are being discussed by the developers' team and Boris Natanovich Strugatsky now. The information on all new features and other details concerning the "Hard to be a God" game will follow in our future press-releases.
About Akella (http://www.akella.com)
Headquartered in Moscow, Akella is one of the leading companies on Russian gaming market. Founded in 1995, Akella specializes in developing, publishing and distributing of computer games and multimedia products, having more than 20 projects developed and more than 200 published. Main Akella's in-house titles are Sea Dogs, Age of Sail 2, Privateer's Bounty: Age of Sail 2, and Pirates of the Caribbean. All of them were critically acclaimed both in Russia and outside it. Moreover, Pirates of the Caribbean was first Russian product based on Hollywood blockbuster movie.
Much attention is paid to fast-growing console games market. Akella is the first Russian company that started developing projects for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Since 1997, Akella localizes and publishes products of its foreign partners on Russian market. Among others, company has localized such bestsellers as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and XIII from Ubisoft, Akella actively collaborates with independent developers, distributing their games on ex-USSR territory and worldwide.
About Strugatsky Brothers (http://www.rusf.ru/abs/english)
Arkady Natanovich Strugatsky and Boris Natanovich Strugatsky are probably the most famous Russian SF authors. They became the spiritual leaders of Russian science fiction literature in the 60-s, and to this day, their influence remains immense.
Entire generations were brought up on their books, and the authors managed to impress their ideas and principles on millions and millions of people. The number of their fans in Russia is really impossible to count, and even abroad, their works have found way to the hearts of the readers. The key to their success is, in their own words that they write "about adventures of the spirit, and not about adventures of the body."
Any Strugatskys' work is very different from an ordinary SF book in that it is not "pure science fiction." Strugatskys always write about people and their problems, and not about spaceships, technology or other things that the ordinary SF literature is full of. There are so many layers of ideas and thoughts in their works that you have to read them several times if you want to really grasp all that authors packed in. Their books stir up the desire to understand other people."
Secret Agent Takes On The Gods Armed With Lasers And Mini-Guns
HARD TO BE A GOD: THE UNIQUE ACTION & ADVENTURE GAME SET FOR RELEASE IN APRIL'08 BY ASCARON
Hard To Be A God, the new action and adventure game from Ascaron to be released in April, uniquely combines the sci-fi and medieval fantasy genres with a mix of Hack & Slash and RPG gameplay. Lasers will come up against swords as monsters and bandits battle a spy sent from a futuristic Earth to the medieval, alien planet of Tsurinak.
Action
Ferocious battles with gangs of bandits and guards on horseback will help hone fighting skills, before vicious monsters and brutal immortal beings demonstrate their power and desire for blood.
Adventure
A diverse range of quests, from defeating ruthless thieves to recovering a lost child, require a variety of combat and strategy forcing the spy to be intelligent as well as instinctive.
Weapons
In total there are over 200 different weapons for the spy to choose from. The arsenal includes scorchers, modifiers, mini-guns, force fields and sophisticated combat gadgets, contrasting with the swords, bow and arrows and axes wielded by the men of Tsurinak.
Unique features in Hard To Be A God
· A greater emphasis on horseback combat challenges the player to develop a new skill and brings a different type of gameplay to the genre
· Advanced character customisation takes place to match the individual playing style that is developed as the game progresses
· An addictive and engrossing non-linear storyline will develop as the player meets new characters each with their own history, enriching the game?s narrative
· The game brings to life the world envisioned by the Strugatsky brothers in the original novel of the same name
Discover the secrets surrounding the mysterious planet of Tsurinak, revealing why it has remained a medieval society for so long. ?The gods? will be encountered along the way, and they will be far from what anyone could have expected.
You can download the demo here: http://www.gamershell.com/download_22666.shtml I'd like opinions on the graphics, the combat system, the way you level up, character speach or lack thereof? Horse mounted combat, quests, items/armor/weapons. Would you go buy it for 20-30-40-50$ ? Some of the features mentioned in the first press release didn't make it till the finished game as it is now!"Latest details on the game
Akella presents the long-awaited details on its internal project, the "Hard to be a God" RPG based on the novel of the same name by Strugatsky brothers.
The "Hard to be a God" game will be a thoroughbred role-playing game affirming all the best traditions of the genre. The storyline is non-linear presenting several story branches with 4 endings depending on the main character's in-game behavior.
The game utilizes a 3D-engine with free rotating camera. Wounds, weapons, armor and different equipment are shown on the characters' models.
One of the gameplay features is the interference of two epochs in the game universe ? the medieval and the alternative future. This provides the peculiar variety of different weapons and armors ? from swords and bows to miniguns, from full plates to force fields ? and equipment like binoculars and night vision goggles at characters' disposal. The standard RPG equipment "doll" is amplified with slots for sword shoulder-belts and hidden weapon scabbards on wrists and arms.
The combat system features many different combos and special attacks (stunning, disarming, etc.) provided by some abilities and special weapon types. During a battle the character can be wounded badly which will diminish his attributes and require long recover, and even lose a limb or be decapitated by a strong attack of the opponent.
A player controls only the main character. The rest of the party is managed by orders. The volunteers traveling with the main character can obey or disobey orders depending on the form the order was given in (strict order, persuasion, intimidation, etc.), while the mercenaries will obey any order given in the proper form.
The Kingdom of Arkanar is divided into many locations. The party will travel between the locations using Arcanum-styled global map. The movement speed will be influenced with the world relief. The party can also ride mounts to move faster. The new locations can be revealed from dialogues with NPCs.
The trading mechanism features selling and buying items for different currencies (universal currency, irukanian gold and so on) or bartering them if both sides are satisfied with the offer.
One of the most prominent features of the game is of course the true spirit of the Strugatskys' novel. The game universe, the dark medieval atmosphere, the key figures from the novel, the Kingdom of Arkanar, ? the whole world from the book is being carefully created anew under the supervision of one of its demiurges, Boris Natanovich Strugatsky.
The great variety of social strata typical to medieval age provides another game feature which can be called "the true role playing". Depending on a situation or an environment, a character can choose a role to play, pretending to be a noble man or a mere citizen or a member of some guild. This allows him to gain trust of NPCs with different alignments. A player can create several legends for each role of his character. The character will introduce himself with this legend to NPCs. If the truth behind the legend is revealed, the player can make up another legend reading books and talking to other NPCs.
The corrupted bureaucrats of Arkanar are easily bribed. This provides one more way of completing the game. For example if you need some papers to pass you may bribe the guard who demands the papers. A character can also buy the forged papers or make them by himself if he has proper skills.
Many gameplay elements and features are being discussed by the developers' team and Boris Natanovich Strugatsky now. The information on all new features and other details concerning the "Hard to be a God" game will follow in our future press-releases.
About Akella (http://www.akella.com)
Headquartered in Moscow, Akella is one of the leading companies on Russian gaming market. Founded in 1995, Akella specializes in developing, publishing and distributing of computer games and multimedia products, having more than 20 projects developed and more than 200 published. Main Akella's in-house titles are Sea Dogs, Age of Sail 2, Privateer's Bounty: Age of Sail 2, and Pirates of the Caribbean. All of them were critically acclaimed both in Russia and outside it. Moreover, Pirates of the Caribbean was first Russian product based on Hollywood blockbuster movie.
Much attention is paid to fast-growing console games market. Akella is the first Russian company that started developing projects for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Since 1997, Akella localizes and publishes products of its foreign partners on Russian market. Among others, company has localized such bestsellers as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and XIII from Ubisoft, Akella actively collaborates with independent developers, distributing their games on ex-USSR territory and worldwide.
About Strugatsky Brothers (http://www.rusf.ru/abs/english)
Arkady Natanovich Strugatsky and Boris Natanovich Strugatsky are probably the most famous Russian SF authors. They became the spiritual leaders of Russian science fiction literature in the 60-s, and to this day, their influence remains immense.
Entire generations were brought up on their books, and the authors managed to impress their ideas and principles on millions and millions of people. The number of their fans in Russia is really impossible to count, and even abroad, their works have found way to the hearts of the readers. The key to their success is, in their own words that they write "about adventures of the spirit, and not about adventures of the body."
Any Strugatskys' work is very different from an ordinary SF book in that it is not "pure science fiction." Strugatskys always write about people and their problems, and not about spaceships, technology or other things that the ordinary SF literature is full of. There are so many layers of ideas and thoughts in their works that you have to read them several times if you want to really grasp all that authors packed in. Their books stir up the desire to understand other people."
Secret Agent Takes On The Gods Armed With Lasers And Mini-Guns
HARD TO BE A GOD: THE UNIQUE ACTION & ADVENTURE GAME SET FOR RELEASE IN APRIL'08 BY ASCARON
Hard To Be A God, the new action and adventure game from Ascaron to be released in April, uniquely combines the sci-fi and medieval fantasy genres with a mix of Hack & Slash and RPG gameplay. Lasers will come up against swords as monsters and bandits battle a spy sent from a futuristic Earth to the medieval, alien planet of Tsurinak.
Action
Ferocious battles with gangs of bandits and guards on horseback will help hone fighting skills, before vicious monsters and brutal immortal beings demonstrate their power and desire for blood.
Adventure
A diverse range of quests, from defeating ruthless thieves to recovering a lost child, require a variety of combat and strategy forcing the spy to be intelligent as well as instinctive.
Weapons
In total there are over 200 different weapons for the spy to choose from. The arsenal includes scorchers, modifiers, mini-guns, force fields and sophisticated combat gadgets, contrasting with the swords, bow and arrows and axes wielded by the men of Tsurinak.
Unique features in Hard To Be A God
· A greater emphasis on horseback combat challenges the player to develop a new skill and brings a different type of gameplay to the genre
· Advanced character customisation takes place to match the individual playing style that is developed as the game progresses
· An addictive and engrossing non-linear storyline will develop as the player meets new characters each with their own history, enriching the game?s narrative
· The game brings to life the world envisioned by the Strugatsky brothers in the original novel of the same name
Discover the secrets surrounding the mysterious planet of Tsurinak, revealing why it has remained a medieval society for so long. ?The gods? will be encountered along the way, and they will be far from what anyone could have expected.
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