Restricted Area Hands-On

Restricted Area is an upcoming action role-playing game that may very well remind you of Blizzard's popular Diablo games. That's because this German-designed role-playing game uses a similar 2D, isometric graphics engine that renders the action very much in Diablo style. However, that doesn't mean that this is a traditional sword-and-sorcery style game. In fact, Restricted Area is set in the apocalyptic future, where you'll have to roam around the world, armed with firearms and other special gear, blasting away at hundreds of monsters, mutants, and more.

The game is set in the year 2083, after the Earth has experienced cataclysmic pollution that has turned most of the continents into deserts and wasteland. Governments fell and were replaced by corporations. You play as one of four characters out to make a living in this brave new world, mainly by serving as a "gun for hire" for various shadowy figures. You start in one of the urban areas of the game, where you can run around and interact with non-player characters so you can obtain information or services. One NPC may offer you a mission while another may sell you cyberware (enhanced body parts and implants). Meanwhile, others will offer to join your party--for a fee. Each NPC has a dialogue tree that will adapt to the situation and to your past actions.

After you get a mission, you can then travel around the world map by procuring transport and clicking on the sectors where you want to go. The game randomly generates maps and environments, so no two games should play out the same. When you get to your destination, Restricted Area feels very much like Diablo in terms of combat and pacing. You walk around the level, blasting away at everything that comes after you. At your disposal is an arsenal of firearms, ranging from pistols, shotguns, submachine guns, and assault rifles, though they're all fairly generic, so don't expect to see any particular weapons, such as an M16 or an MP5 submachine gun. You don't need to worry about ammunition, either, as you have an unlimited supply for your small arms.

In addition to firearms, there's also cyberware. For example, you can recover a prosthetic limb and "replace" your existing one, much like you switch weapons. Similar to the weapons and armor in Diablo, each piece of equipment in Restricted Area has traits that may increase your dexterity, constitution, the damage that you inflict, and more. There are also implants that can enhance your night vision or modify various attributes. The game also features a skill system that allows you to level up, thus increasing your base stats while also learning new abilities. This is the only way you'll be able to "unlock" various weapons and equipment in the game, as there can be prerequisites that need to be completed before you can use some items.

While the graphics engine may look a bit dated, developer Master Creating says that it packs a lot of detail, including dynamic lighting and shadowing, as well as weather and reflection effects. The environment can affect combat as well, as lighting and weather conditions will play a role in your chances of hitting a target. And in terms of multiplayer, Restricted Area will feature cooperative multiplayer support for two players. The game is fairly well along in development, and we should see Restricted Area ship sometime early this year.