Pathologic: A Non-Linear Adventure Company: Buka Entertainment Pathologic is an import game from the Russian publishing company, Buka Entertainment. This game is a large, non-linear adventure game that pits you against an infected town where you must try to survive both an unusual plague and the infected town for a period of time. The Ice-Pick Lodge team has created a town that leaves you unsettled as a disease runs amok. During the 12 days, you character runs into dozens of NPCs, a Sanitary Army, and robbers. Though this isn?t an action game, there?ll be times when you might have to shoot your way through a group of bad guys. From what I?ve been able to gather though, it is never required that you do so. The choices you make as you look for pills and weapons determine how well the townsfolk like you, and if they will attack you on site. Pathologic has two main goals. The first one is technically the only one you need to complete in order to win -- survive 12 days. The other goal is to save the town and find out the origins of this horrid virus. Pathologic also boasts the ability to play as three radically different characters. Each one has different specialties and talk with the town?s people in different ways. Essentially, each character is a different game, and what works for one, might not work of the other two. Not only do they interact with the world in different ways, but each character also has his/her own unique series of side-quests. One character is an empirical scientist. As you progress through the game with him, you?re able to study the virus. Another one is a man familiar with herbs, roots, and human organs, and is able to make various chemical concoctions. Supposedly, he is the only one that is able to find a cure for the disease. The last character is a gypsy-like woman with a mysterious past. She has the ability to hypnotize and heal people just by touching them. Why is she in this town? Is she really a good-guy? We are going to have to wait for Pathologic to come out before we get the answers to those questions. In order to survive the 12 days in Pathologic, you must constantly monitor your character?s health, immunity, hunger, reputation, exhaustion, and infection level. All of these fields are constantly dropping. You?ll need to take pills you buy or find in order to increase your health and immunity ? all the while making sure you don?t aggravate the locals too much to the point they start shooting at you. The huge town, random situations, constant choices, and RPG-like elements make this game truly non-linear -- and every time you play it, you should get a different gaming experience. Pathologic looks like it will be a huge and involved adventure game that, unlike other adventures, you can go back and play again without getting bored because you know all of the solutions already. -J.R. Nip, GameVortex Communications AKA Chris Meyer Related Links: Buka Entertainment Home Page Ice-Pick Lodge Home Page (In Russian) Pathologic Home Page