A brand new real-time offering from the Spanish developer of the best-selling Commandos series was revealed by publisher Interactive yesterday, as Pyro's Imperial Glory was unveiled and a release on the in early 2005 confirmed.

The most 'extensive' strategy game ever is promised, featuring lush visuals, massively in-depth gameplay and real-time battles both on land and at sea. Five of the Victorian era's greatest Empires will be yours to lead in the game too, in this historically inspired expansionist epic. Great Britain, France, Russia, Prussia or Austro-Hungary will be yours to govern.

Several factors will be key to the success or failure of your Empire, we're told, and politics, trade, diplomacy, resource management and technology research are central to the game. Locales as diverse as Britain, Russia and Morocco will form a backdrop to the action.

Íñigo Vinós of Pyro commented: "Imperial Glory will offer an unrivalled, absorbing gameplay experience in the strategy genre. Our overall aim has been to offer incredible depth and detail, but at the same time ensure the game is accessible to all players." More on this at E3, perhaps? We certainly hope so.

By Luke Guttridge