Gods & Heroes rising June 21

For a time, it appeared as if releasing the massively multiplayer online role-playing Gods & Heroes was a task to be ranked alongside the 12 Labors of Hercules. However, like the slaying of the Nemean lion or the cleansing of the Augean stables, so too will the task of releasing the fated MMORPG be accomplished. Today, Heatwave Interactive announced that Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising will launch for the PC on June 21.

Gods & Heroes' story began in 2005, when developer Perpetual Entertainment, who was also at the time creating Star Trek Online, announced the mythology-themed online RPG for launch in October of that year. By the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the game had been signed on by Sony Online Entertainment and given a new release date of late 2006.

In June 2007, Perpetual at last began signing up beta-test participants to run the game through its paces. However, that glimmer of hope proved to be short-lived after the bottom fell out at Perpetual, and the game was placed on "indefinite hold." Perpetual eventually sold off its lucrative Star Trek license to Cryptic Studios in 2008, and in 2010, little-known game maker Heatwave Interactive picked up Gods & Heroes.

Under Heatwave, the game's development has progressed steadily and sees players assuming the role of deified heroes of the Roman army who wage war against the dastardly Telchine gods. The game incorporates a number of mythological elements, and its environments range from Roman landmarks to fabled realms.

Along with announcing a launch date, Heatwave offered details on the game's preorder incentives. Those who pick up Gods & Heroes in advance will gain a one-week head start on the June 21 release date. They will also receive the Tunic of the Gods ability as well as an exclusive in-game marble statute.

For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Gods & Heroes.