First look: Spells of Gold

Russian game publisher Buka Entertainment has announced that it will be demonstrating Spells of Gold, the isometric role-playing game in development at Jonquil Software, at the upcoming 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles next month. The game is set in a medieval fantasy world, and it lets players assume the role of a hero caught in the middle of the eternal battle between good and evil.

Through the course of the game, players will travel between different worlds using magical portals, and they can make a large profit by buying items and goods in one town and selling them in another. The hero will also develop through the game, gaining magic spells or new fighting skills by hiring one of the many teachers found in the game. Once the hero has attained a certain level, players will have the option to join one of the various guilds found in the game.

Spells of Gold will combine role-playing and trade-simulation elements, and the game's nonlinear storyline will let players replay the game from an entirely different perspective each time. The game will include more than 2,000 different types of weapons and armor, as well as a wide variety of magical spells and potions.

We've posted some screenshots in the gallery above that show off some of the game's characters and environments. Spells of Gold is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2002. No official North American publisher or release date has been announced.