Fatherdale: A New Gaming Style on the Horizon?Developed by Snowball Interactive and Published by TBA comes a new game entitled Fatherdale: Guardians of Asgard. In essence an RPG, this title also promises to include an element of real-time strategy. Players play as a warlord in the Fatherdale valley, home of the Guardians of Asgard, just a few short days before a legendary battle is to be fought on the land between the Gods and their enemies. You are called upon by the Gods to aid in the battle, and return peace to the land.Set in Northern Europe, 1072, during the time of Norse adventure, Fatherdale omits the aspects of traditional RPGs similar to this genre, such as Baldur’s Gate. Discarding elves and dwarves, the world of Fatherdale attempts to accurately portray a historical medieval setting not unlike what one would actually find in this time period, thoroughly mixed with Viking Legend. Non-player characters (NPCs) are entirely unique individuals with their own personalities and abilities, and even a past and a set of goals. Each one will react differently to you depending on previous choices that you made. With a high reputation, you are more likely to be approached by a do-gooder who wishes to give you aid, while with a lower reputation, the same character may decide that dispatching you is a better choice. This will certainly make the game much more free and non-linear, since warding off evil cause the person you are trying to lure into your party to become upset. No longer is the ethically correct path the only choice. In addition to the realistic atmosphere, equipment will also be given a realistic twist. Avoiding the use of "magically enhanced" weapons that would never be found in reality, Fatherdale uses realistic handcrafted equipment recreated from historical research. And in lieu of damage bonuses and the like, Fatherdale's weapon damage is determined by actual considerations a warrior must deal with; such as size, shape, weight, balance, and quality. Overall, Fatherdale
promises to provide a refreshingly different type of RPG, veering away from fantasy and more into a historically accurate atmosphere. While this may not necessarily be a step in the right direction, it is certainly a new step with the potential to revolutionize the way manufactures produce games. Keep an eye out for a release in the second quarter of 2001.
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