Virtual Programming Ltd. and Freeverse Software announced Tuesday that the Macintosh version of KnightShift has been declared “gold master,” the last step before the game goes into duplication. It should be hitting store shelves shortly. Published by UK-based Virtual Programming, the game is being distributed in North America by Freeverse.
KnightShift is a genre-bending game that combines elements of real time strategy (RTS) and role playing games (RPG). Set in a medieval fantasy world, you can assume the roles of the Archer, the Amazon, the Sorcerer, Priestess, Barbarian or Spearman and go forth on an RPG-style romp, or you can protect your village with Wizard Towers in the RTS mode, or do both in the Campaign mode. KnightShift was originally published for the PC by Zuxxez in 2003.
The companies say what sets KnightShift apart from other games is its offbeat sense of humor — herding, grazing, milking and stealing cattle play centrally in the resource-management end of the game, apparently, and cows are always good for a laugh. KnightShift comprises more than 20 missions and hundreds of quests, 80 different characters and creatures, a game world editor and more. You can view a trailer on Apple’s Games site if you like.
System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.2.4 or higher, G3/800MHz or faster, 256MB RAM, 1.5GB hard drive space. The game is available for purchase from Freeverse’s Web site now for US$39.95, or from Virtual Programming’s for £34.95.