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The game has some unique features that really fixed it in my mind. The first was the developers created there own unique martial combat style. This combat style is a mix of Asian and European fighting stances, and makes use of 4 different weapons types, bows, daggers, swords and spears. Each weapon group has its own flavor and style that makes it unique. For example, the spear looks like a cross between a European glaive-guisarme, a Chinese kwan dao, and a Japanese naginata, but with a blade on each end. It is used in a fluid and graceful fight style very reminiscent of Asian martial arts. As an added bonus sometime in the next few months the developers will be releasing some how-to manuals for the martial arts on the Elveon website.

The next feature, and one that truly made me realize the passion that the developers have for this game, is the fact they hired an architect to design all the buildings for the game. This was immediately evident from the detail and design of the buildings. If this was all it would be impressive but they also created a tool that would allow them to import the architect’s drawings from AutoCAD directly in to the engine. The buildings are truly remarkable and it’s evident that the developers cared to craft environments that were not only unique but physical feasible.

The final feature that impressed me is the eventual inclusion in the game of a unique language and script based on ancient Egyptian, Greek and Hebrew. This script will be used extensively though out the game on most buildings and items. The developers did speculate that this script might be used in some puzzles but at the moment they are not sure that it will have any effect on gameplay.

As mentioned earlier Elveon uses a modified version of the Unreal Engine 3. The engine has been upgraded to make players' game experience better. The developers have taken the basic engine and added in some key upgrades to the physics engine and AI systems. As I mentioned, the first upgrade was to the game's physics engine. The physics engine was modified to compensate the change from a engine built for a first person shooter to a third person action rpg. While the details of the changes weren’t disclosed, I have to admit from what I saw the game physics looks to not only work well but looked phenomenal, with many objects being affected though out the game. The first thing you notice when watching the combat demonstration is how the characters clothes seem to naturally flow with movement. The next is as the characters are moving around you begin to notice things like the trees and grass swaying in the wind. While none of these things are new, the developers have done a nice job incorporating them in to Elveon.

The other change to the engine that the developers mentioned was to the games AI. Like the physics, the AI had to be converted to work in close combat. Oddly enough the first thing you thing of with the Unreal Engine 3 being based off a shooter is not tthat it isn't the most friendly to close combat. To compensate for this weakness the developers have reworked the AI to behave in a more expected manor and make use of the skills available.

As if all of these changes weren’t enough from what we were told the game world will be huge. While fans of action rpg’s will find they can play though the game at a reasonable pace, people who enjoy exploring will find plenty to do with dozens of side quests and items to discover. The game's main story will follow the main character though the story of the history of the elves. The game will take place at the peak of the Elven Empire and explore the relationship between the 5 races of elves; this story will have occasional deviations in to the past as we learn more about Elven history from a variety of participants.

In addition to all this we were told by the developers that the game wouldn’t use an experience system and would instead be using an achievement based system. This was decided for several reasons, the main one they mentioned was that they didn’t want the players to feel that they had to kill every living creature out there to maximize there experience. They would rather have them meet a series of goals and gain levels based on those goals. This is an idea that should please players as their progression should keep them questing and they shouldn’t get bored with a feeling of grinding as happens in many other RPGs.

With its combination of great visiuals, unique features, stunning physics, and what is shaping up to be a great story, I am looking forward to getting my hands on Elveon. At this time expect Elveon on the PC and Xbox 360 in the summer 2007. This also means that we can probably expect 10Tacle to be showing this one off again at next year's E3 and I for one can’t wait to see the progress they have made in another year.