Many moons ago, during the mid-80s (ah shit here we go again), David Braben unleashed a space trading game by the name of Elite. It took the then 'trendy' BBC Micro cohort by the goolies. Of course the BBC Micro subsequently died a painfully 16K death but the concept of Elite still breathes in many a modern day game. Gremlin Interactive, are once again embarking to the revamp the retro-gaming scene with their futuristic 3D combat/trading game- HardWar. They've set their sights on intertwining compelling and immersive gameplay with stunning pixel perfect visuals. An ambitious project indeed. In fact, HardWar has been in development for two years as a result. To aid development further, Gremlin Interactive brought in the creative talents of The Designers Republic to give HardWar more polished 'look' eight months ago.

In keeping with Elite's 'open-ended' gameplay, your role in HardWar won't be predetermined. Alas, picture the scenario, you're stuck on some remote and mined-out planet named Titan. Within the confinements of a terminally sick crater of a city called Misplaced Optimism (hmm.. shouldn't that be LA?), you'll need to navigate your way through a vast array of hostile tunnel networks. The way you play will be entirely at your own discretion. Choosing whether or not to undertake missions and for whom will all affect the general mood of the game. Operate as a free agent and speculator, or better still, a scavenging rogue, who undertakes treacherous missions. Missions will range from escorting, delivering and salvaging to the more dangerous bounty hunting, assassinating and general demolishing. Dangerous because the greater damage you inflict the more likely it'll come back to haunt you as the tables of the hunter and the hunted are turned. Success in your chosen role will strengthen your trading prowess. Success will be reflected by your ability to upgrade your Moth (ship) with various bits and bobs including weaponry, communications etc... Incidentally, there will be a further four ships to try and attain. In all the chaos your central goal will be to locate the secrets of interplanetary travel so that you can escape from the planet Titan itself.