14 DAY TRIAL // The original King's Bounty served as the basis for the whole Might and Magic series and its influences can be seen in the initial installments of Heroes of Might and Magic. Now, the game is getting a new lease on life courtesy of Russian developer Katauri and of publisher 1C Company. The game has no set release date in the West but it's already playable if you happen to live in Russia or thereabout.
It is described as an adventure title which combines tactical turn based battles where the moves that the heroes can perform are determined by action points with real time strategy elements in the other parts of the world. A heavy role playing influence is evident in the game, especially in the way the characters evolve. The release does not feature an adventuring party, like the new Neverwinter Nights 2 expansion Storm of Zehir, but it allows the player to command armies and groups of soldiers in some of the game areas.
The title offers three character classes. You can play as a Warrior, capable of taking damage and dealing it in turn, as a Paladin, a class that is righteous and focused on divinity based attacks, or as a Mage, who is capable of heavy magical strikes. The plot of the game takes each player on a journey which is all about redemption and salvation while offering interesting story twists and incredible fights.
Battles can take place on land, on sea, in dungeons, in castles and even inside some items (as the developers put it). There are numerous side quests that a player can accomplish to modify the way the game world reacts to him. Katauri says that the monsters and the other enemies you encounter while playing are able to perform various tactical moves, providing an interesting challenge.