Gorky 17

Gorky 17
Developer(s)	Metropolis Software Hyperion Entertainment (Linux)
Publisher(s)	Monolith Productions (Windows version) Linux Game Publishing (Linux version) e.p.i.c. Interactive (Macintosh version)
Platform(s)	Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
Release date(s)	Windows NA November 30, 1999[1] Macintosh NA 2002 Linux NA 2006
Genre(s)	Tactical RPG
Mode(s)	Single-player
Distribution	CD

Gorky 17 (released as Odium in North America) is a turn-based tactics computer game developed by Polish developer Metropolis Software and published by Monolith Productions for Windows in 1999. The game was later ported to Linux by Hyperion Entertainment and published by Linux Game Publishing in 2006. Hyperion Entertainment also announced an AmigaOS 4^[2] version of the game, but nothing was heard of the port since then.

Gameplay

The game features two modes: In the real-time 'exploration' mode, the player controls game characters using a mouse in a point-and-click manner to navigate the player characters through the city as well as interacting with various objects in the game world.

Combat takes place in preset encounters located in specific areas of each level map.

In the 'combat' mode, the screen is divided into squares with player and computer-controlled characters taking turns trying to eliminate the opposing party, similarly found such tactical turn based titles as Tactics Ogre, X-COM and Shining Force. In one turn each game character can move by a certain number of squares and use a weapon once, or decide to take cover instead. Weapons have different tactical effects, for example the pistol can only be fired orthogonally, while the rifle can be fired orthogonally and diagonally.

The game ends if any player-controlled character dies.

Story

The player commands a small group of NATO soldiers who must reveal the mystery behind the sudden appearance of hybrid creatures in a small Polish town near Lubin. The town is terrorized, the area is surrounded by NATO troops and media from all over the world, and the first group sent into town disappears without a trace. The main hero of the story is the 40-year old Canadian soldier Cole Sullivan, a commando team member with extensive scientific knowledge. His team's task is to explain the hybrids' presence and to find the missing members of Group One.

Sequels

Gorky Zero: Beyond Honor (2003) and Gorky 02: Aurora Watching (2005) both continued with Cole Sullivan as the protagonist.

• Gorky Zero: Beyond Honor is a third-person isometric stealth action game. The story serves as a prequel to Gorky 17. The game was never published in the English-language market, but JowooD will be responsible for the English translation and release in North America and the United Kingdom.

• Gorky Zero 2: Aurora Watching is a third-person stealth action game, and a sequel to Gorky 17. The game was published in North America by Dreamcatcher Interactive as Soldier Elite, and in Europe by Enlight Software as Aurora Watching. The English translation ignores all ties to the previous Gorky titles, for example changing the protagonist's name from Cole Sullivan to White Fox. The English language story concerns the protagonist infiltrating a secret Russian base where scientists are developing enhanced human soldiers called "Crazy Ivans".

Critical reception

IGN rated the Windows version of Gorky 17 as "decent", highlighting the mix of turn-based strategy, adventure and RPG genres. Graphically, "the environments themselves are nicely drawn, character animations are very fluid, and the atmosphere presented is ultimately quite captivating." Criticisms included the lack of a line-of-sight mechanic and some interface flaws.^[3]

References

External links

• Official Gorky 17 for Linux page
• Review of Linux version in issue 17 of Tux Magazine
• Gorky 17 at MobyGames