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CHUCK AWAY YOUR DICE and character sheets, folks - Atari's long awaited fantasy RTS is nearly upon us. Set in the exciting new Dungeons and Dragons realm of Eberron this is the first time the D&D universe will be delivered as a real time strategy game... which doesn't mean the RPG element will be lost.

Far from it - DragonShard will play on two levels, with huge immersive battles above ground and below ground you can seek adventure and treasure to aid you in your conquest. The world of Eberron is new to the D&D franchise and features both fantasy and magical technology. All the elements from the D&D rule set remain however and you will be able to level up your heroes to a point where they can turn the tide of the above ground battles.

The game's background has a rich storyline that includes global conflict, high adventure and an immensely powerful artifact. All will be delivered on a graphics engine that looks absolutely stunning.

DragonShard takes place at time when the world of Eberron is in chaos. Three forces are vying for control of a massive dragonshard, known as the Heart of Siberys. The ancient artifact has come to rest in a mystical part of Eberron known as Xen'drik; once home to ancient and powerful civilisations, it is now a place of mystery and monsters. Shielded by a circle of high mountains and blanketed by never-ending tempests and blizzards, this region has been shunned for millennia.

A quick glance at the visuals shows they have been faithful to the D&D Monster Manual with some easily recognisable beasts. A good D&D RTS game has been long overdue, and by remaining faithful to the game's rule set we're certain we'll be playing DragonShard long after its release.

Features of the game include: -

• DragonShard is the first game ever set in the highly-anticipated D&D® world of Eberron and the first modern real-time strategy game based on the D&D universe;
  
• Dual Layer Play allows gamers to seamlessly participate in two distinct styles of gameplay – the above ground where massive battles reign supreme and the underground where parties crawl through dungeons in search of treasure and more;
  
• Fully-realized RPG advancement system for units based on the popular D&D rule set. Teach your rogues to spot traps in the underground or your clerics to heal your armies in the above ground;
  
• Classic D&D monsters straight out of the Monster Manual, including dragons, beholders, bugbears, trolls, zombies and more;
  
• Story developed by the creator of Eberron, Keith Baker;
  
• Robust single-player campaign and extensive multiplayer experience.

Show me the screenshots!