December 14, 2006 - Exceptionally organized and hierarchical, Templars are unwavering in their mission to destroy evil. They retain and venerate customs and rituals passed down through the centuries, and just like their predecessors long ago who foresaw a massive demonic invasion, have trained diligently in martial disciplines and holy magic to prepare for the inevitable conflict. Cabalists study the dark arts and combine them with knowledge from the peripheries of science, seeking to use the fiends' own powers against them. They are spellcasters who summon and control the terrifying creatures and forces of the netherworld. In doing so, they frequently risk corrupting themselves.

Hunters put their faith in the most advanced weaponry they can acquire. Most are former members of elite military units and clandestine agencies; in these roles, they were accustomed to stalking extremely deadly prey, including each other. In Flagship Studios' Hellgate: London, which takes place in 2038, the titular city lies in ruins, shattered by a demon army against which nuclear and even biological armaments were almost completely ineffective. There is but one final, desperate ray of hope. It resides with factions such as these, who can face the monsters with abilities and technologies outside the realm of normal understanding.

Includes three exclusive 1680x1050 screenshots

---

Combat

Combat is fast and furious, but is more dependent on your character's spells, skills, equipment and level than on player ability. We're making an RPG, and even though many people play from the first-person perspective, combat never really feels too twitch-oriented.

The melee Imps can charge in and keep the player occupied while the ranged attackers pepper from afar, sticking and moving as they do. The shaman then can either shield and heal the front line fighters or use his ranged spells

That being said, we had a great outcry from FPS players who love the idea of Hellgate: London, but want some elements that will appeal more to their personal pixel-hunting abilities. We're currently working on items and skills that take player skill more into account. This doesn't mean that a level 5 character can kill a level 20 demon just because the player is a frag-master. It does mean that a character who uses these weapons and skills is much better when used by a capable FPS player than by someone who isn't.

There are some other play styles in Hellgate: London, such as stealth and puzzle-solving, but they are not the main focus of the game. There are a lot of great little surprises awaiting players as they go through the story and areas of London - so I don't want to spoil them!

Our characters fight Demons - and lots of them. We looked to many places for inspiration on the designs of our monsters, including ancient drawings, mythology, the Bible, movies, comics, desired gameplay effects and our own twisted imaginations. This led to creating four Castes of Demons, which we then populated with a variety of types that followed the theme of each. Necros, Spectral, Beasts and Primus make up the Hellgate hierarchy, and all of the monsters the players battle fit into those families. There are variations on each individual type, and some have specific relations to each other, working in concert against the player.

For a good example of this, we can look at the Imps in the Primus Caste. They have melee, ranged and shaman types amongst their numbers, which allows them to use a variety of tactics against the player. The melee Imps can charge in and keep the player occupied while the ranged attackers pepper from afar, sticking and moving as they do. The shaman then can either shield and heal the front line fighters or use his ranged spells if there is an opening.

Bill Roper
CEO, Flagship Studios
Hellgate: London