One of the special benefits of E3 is that you can meet with the developers behind the games. I had the fortunate opportunity to meet with Steve Fawkner, President of Infinite Interactive and creator of the Warlords series. Currently he is working on Warlords 4: Heroes of Etheria, a turn-based strategy RPG that is scheduled for release this fall. Steve is listening to the fans and Warlords 4 is a result of much feedback. Warlords 4 will have many of the qualities that made Warlords 2 so successful and change much that frustrated fans from Warlords 3.

Warlords 4: Heroes of Etheria should prove successful based on the playable build Steve showed me at E3. It will use a brand new 2D graphics engine for displaying every facet of the game's world. I was very impressed by the detail put into the terrain, the unit models and other areas within this vibrant world. There is no doubt that the game will treat you with some excellent visuals. The new speed-tactical system seemed interesting and it should allow for a more efficient way to engage in combat.

Your warlords and units under your control will level up as you are playing. I have always felt that an experience system is important in these types of games as you are more likely to care about units that are growing in power than units that always stay the same and never change. I was also shown the map editor which looked very functional and easy to use for fans to create some impressive scenarios. You can make a variety of quests as well as add some story within them that will enrich the playing experience even more. A random map generator is planned to be included with the game as well.

Steve is also the one who is producing the exquisite music within the game that adds to its atmosphere. Inspired by the works of famed author J.R.R. Tolkien, Steve Fawkner has always been serious about improving and enhancing each Warlords title. I compliment Steve Fawkner and the rest of the Warlords 4 team for putting their heart, their time, and their dedication into making Warlords 4 the special game that it is.

Official Warlords 4: Heroes of Etheria Website