Publisher: Soldak Entertainment
Developer: Soldak Entertainment
System requirements: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/Win 7/Mac OSX 10.4, 1.5 GHz Pentium IV CPU (2.0 GHz for Mac), 256 MB RAM, GeForce 2 or better graphics card (GeForce 3 for Mac), 200 MB hard-drive space
Genre: Action RPG
ESRB rating: Not rated
Release date: 2012

Drox Operative is an action RPG set in space. Wait, wait, come back! Did I mention it’s made by Soldak, the guys behind the amazing Depths of Peril and Din’s Curse? Well, it is! This means a large, randomly generated, dynamic universe and combat that does something new. Don’t dare call it a Diablo clone.

The galaxy of Drox Operative isn’t just a bunch of experience points and loot to harvest, but a living, breathing thing that will kill you if you’re not careful. Soldak has experimented with dynamic worlds before, and all that experience is at work in Drox. Ignore that quest to kill the giant space monster for too long and he will gather a horde of killer spores to murder your whole planet. Meanwhile, instead of trying to simply advance your character, you’re trying to survive in a dynamic universe filled with alliances and empires. The goal isn’t just to win, but to make sure you’re on the winning side before it ends.

But that’s all been done in Soldak’s previous games. What Drox does differently is translate the traditional fantasy genre into ship-based space combat. Yes, it’s the same system with stats, gear, loot drops and quests, but now it’s in the form of ships whizzing around and out-maneuvering each other. You can play entirely with the mouse, or using WASD to control your ship and your mouse to aim your guns. Toss in projectile weapons and mines and you have something that could almost pass for a souped-up 2D Freelancer.

If you’re in the market for a solid action RPG filled with stats and character builds, keep an eye on Drox Operative. It’s got all the right ingredients to finally break away from the Diablo-clone mold. For a sneak-peek, check out Soldak’s other games, all of which feature a very distinctive flavor that has earned them a cult following. Expect Drox Operative sometime later this year.