
	Platform PC Genre Real-Time Strategy Developer World Forge Publisher Play Ten ETA Q3 2007
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Battle for Atlantis

The lost city of Atlantis has captured the imagination of writers for centuries, as they have speculated as to whether the city existed, and if it did just how wondrous might it have been. It’s some interesting stuff, but in the world being created by Russian developer, World Forge, what matters is the here and now, because the Atlanteans are back, and they are pissed off.

In the game, the armies of Atlantis have struck all the major world powers, and given them a thorough trouncing with everything from giant dinosaurs, to bionic mages. It’s quite the mix of units that the rest of the world has to deal with. Somehow, it seems unlikely that they teach cadets how to fend off massive, charging reptiles at West Point.

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Battle for Atlantis isn’t trying to reinvent the real time strategy genre, and the game’s developers are quite up front about this. World Forge is instead aiming to keep their game in line with most RTS conventions, and expand on them. How they plan to do this will center on their use of water. The developers are creating actual, full-on water for the

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game, not just an area for players to place some boats and submarines. There will be tsunamis, floods, and other natural disasters that players will have to deal with.

From a visual standpoint, World Forge is using a modified version of the game engine that they used in Sparta: Ancient Wars. With that, the style of the game is making an obvious shift towards a modern setting, but is still looking quite detailed thus far. While we’re on the subject of game engines, there is a lot of attention being paid to physics in Battle for Atlantis. The developers want everything in the game to obey the laws of physics as closely as possible. Whether it’s a tank going through the mud, or a dinosaur waste deep in a bog, their movement will be impacted by their surroundings. This will especially hold true in regards to the water effects discussed earlier.

World Forge is very much sticking with a set plan with Battle for Atlantis. It’s refreshing to hear a company come out and say that they are trying to make a good RTS, and not re-invent the wheel. Will meticulous water effects, and a scourge of Atlanteans gone postal be enough to capture the hearts and minds of fans of the genre? We’ll have to wait and see.

Mr. Nash

February 8, 2007