DESCRIPTION

A titanic vessel capable of devouring a whole planet and enslaving its populace, the Harbinger moves throughout the universe decimating one world after another. Aboard the ship itself, small pockets of civilization have escaped experimentation and slavery at the hands of the despotic Overlord, and manage to eke out a meager existence in the bowels of the planet-sized craft. The mélange of races leads to conflict. Starting out, players select from three avatars: Human, the weakest of the playable characters, but possessing the ability to employ various armaments; Gladiator, a formidable cyborg entity capable of utilizing smaller machines such as remote cameras and offensive robots; or Culibine, a self-healing life form with the ability to channel ambient energy into offensive attacks.

After choosing a character, players make their way through the ship, interacting with its diverse citizenry and completing various assignments, from simple item-retrieval errands to elaborate rescue missions. With no particular allegiance, players will find themselves accosted by the various factions that infest the ship, including the likes of the Vantir, Cimicidae, and Scintilla as well as lesser species such as Herps, Biters, and Flying Bugs. Battle, in true action-RPG fashion, is conducted through a simple mouse-based interface, requiring players only to click on the enemy to initiate an attack.

In addition to their character-specific abilities, avatars can perform both melee and ranged attacks to dispense with the malicious hordes they encounter. Defeated enemies reward the player with experience points as well as items, equipment, and money that can be looted from their corpses. Gaining in level awards skill points that can be assigned to specific attributes, to increase the abilities and powers of the avatar. Money can be used to purchase health items and additional equipment from a merchant aboard the ship. By playing as each of the three characters, players are rewarded with different viewpoints of the action, fleshing out the story with similar, yet distinct approaches to the adventure. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide