Mistmare

Set in 1996 in an alternative Europe where the Vatican is all-powerful and monks patrol the streets with an iron fist, Mistmare is a curious action/adventure with a hint of RPG (Religious Paranoia Gaming). The religious overtones seep into every part of the game, with spells all drawn from your ability to tap into your affinity with solar, lunar or terran energies. In other words, the more you pray, the more powerful you become. As the plot unfolds, the intriguing political powerstruggle within the Vatican boils over. Bishops accuse bishops of undermining the church; the Pope's position is under threat, and a deadly monster-infested fog is slowly engulfing Europe.

Thankfully, you can temporarily escape the corrupt cardinals by losing yourself in a glorious sojourn of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind-esque non-linear exploration. Dotted around several towns are sub-quests offering tasks such as finding a dirty statue of the Virgin Mary (dirty as in dusty) and rescuing greengrocers from the mafia. These benevolent acts also allow you to increase your skills and attributes in a less intense environment.

All this may sound pretty good, and to be fair Mistmare is better than average. But be warned, the Al-controlled fight interface and point and click movement interface are absolute stinkers. It's a massive shame, because with Monolith's Lithtech 3.2 engine under the bonnet, a simple control interface would have sufficed. The main thing is, Mistmare is not a nightmare. In fact, it's quite an atmospheric and enjoyable mixture of gaming styles. True, you'll need plenty of patience before you start to appreciate it, but when you do you'll be more than happy.