While our continental cousins don't churn out top-notch hits in quite the same quantity as our friends in North America and Japan, occasionally left-of-field titles from can sneak in and surprise all by being far bigger and far better than anyone might have predicted. certainly seem convinced that dtp's new RPG, Drakensang, is something a bit special, and have duly signed-up to publish the game beyond its Germanic homeland.

The new role-player is due out in January 2009 on the PC, and its already gone down a treat in Germany, where both critics and gamers have been lavishing praise on this Bladur's Gate-inspired epic RPG. Such is the community around the game, that an English language translation was already in the works before dtp revealed their relationship with Eidos; their wider release plans for the game.

So - expectations are quite high, then - and as we sit down for a preview session with the game, my guide mentions Baldur's Gate with some pride, strong and existing critical success clearly lending credibility to the developer's lofty claims and comparisons. But what is Drakensang? Well, its an epic fantasy role-playing game set in central Europe, and its based on a German system called 'Dark Eye'. Apparently, Dark Eye is very popular on the continent, and dtp are confident role-players will embrace the system.

Thrust into the game with dtp's developer at the helm, I'm immediately struck (well, it was a grey Monday morning) by the scale of our avatar's busom. Truly incredible. As I discovered later, buxom wenches is something of a theme in Drakensang, and the amount of lithe young ladies you'll be encountering certainly offers some insight into the tastes of German game developers. Of course, you don't have to play the game as a lady, you can just easily be a chap, and dtp are seemingly working hard to offer as many classes and archetypes as possible. Indeed, we're told characters are freely customisable, beyond the presets offered up by this complex tool.

A new character created and without further ado we're thrown into the game world. Wow. Drakensang is lush; and I don't mean that in the teenie-queen Smash Hits sense of the word, but rather in a 'my goodness me, this looks incredible' manner. Dispensing with the ye olde England of rival role-playing games, Drakensang is set firmly in the rolling fields of central Europe, Bohemia, and it is this medieval setting that has inspired the title. 3000 miles of landscape is on offer to explore, taking in countryside and cities. The attention to detail is impressive, not just on characters, but also in the environment. Leaves blow from detailed trees, grasses sway in the wind. All this not only makes for a convincing world, but also adds to the atmosphere.

Still, we're not here to stand around gawping (my goodness me, look at that view; the draw-distances are also noteworthy), we must get to the city and begin to find out what's happening. Chatting with NPCs we learn the city over-run with unfriendly guards, while our guide also informs us that NPCs will be used to further the plot and add depth to the experience. We need to get passed these pesky guards, and fortunately we don't have to fight - rather Drakensang allows us to use (assuming we're suitably skilled) to reach places without the need for time-consuming battles.

Once in the city, I'm once again impressed by the detail on display. The lengths to which dtp have gone to make a living, breathing world. Talk to NPCs and you'll learn incidental details about the plot, the world, while acquaintances will also help deliver quests. Accessibility is the key here, I'm told.

In the city is also a good place to start recruiting members for your party, and this seems to be an important element as you'll need characters with various skills at different points in the epic adventure you're about to embark upon. I'm told the old city is historically accurate, while the water effects also catch the eye, as I explore this medieval town. There seems to be an incredible amount of content on offer in Drakensang, dtp speaking with some pride of the singleplayer experience, which will offer in excess of 60 hours gameplay. Clearly, dtp haven't shirked on quantity.

At one point our guide takes our heroine into a local bar, full of bawdy types downing tankards of ale. Here we're introduced to an elf who has shaved his beard as a self-inflicted punishment for an error of which he is deeply ashamed. Little touches like this will need good writing to be pulled off en masse, but they certainly add colour and help flesh out the richness of the game world. dtp speak of multiple stories beyond the main plot, but are also clear that the overreaching story arc, its epic promise, has been a focus.

Leaping to another part of the game the developers are keen to show off their statistics-based leveling system, which allows you to improve your character's skills in a smorgasbord of ways. A comprehensive interface is on offer, and this looks likely to titillate very hardcore role-players, while my chuckling host is at pains to point out that while romancing is a skill; sexual prowess isn't. The game may have a number of alluring females spread across its sizable landscape, but that doesn't mean there will be any of that, thank you very much.

Moving on again and we're shown how the combat in Drakensang will function, and yes, it'll take place in real-time. Apparently, tactics will be the focus here, players able to queue attacks, while 40 to 50 spells will also be available. You can even alter your combat stance, if you wish, the attention to detail once again impressing. We then find ourselves in a dwarven city that has been invaded (strange runes, apparently linked to the plot, abound), where we see more of the detail dtp have piled into the environments. Our demonstration ends as we journey through a huge magical forest (once again, the atmosphere is palpable), to do battle with a vast dragon-like creature, that flicks our party combatants across the screen with impunity as we descend together in an attempt to conquer the dreaded beast...

Drakensang is a strange creature. At 60 hours plus dtp have clearly created an epic world simply brimming with potential, although given the carefully selected snippets we were shown it is unclear how detailed and polished all of the experience will be. That said, the features being encompassed makes this RPG something of a Baldur's Gate fan's wish-list, and for their efforts here alone I couldn't help but be impressed with the deep RPGing offered, the attention to the basics of cause-and-effect, that dtp have remained faithful to in crafting this 2009 release. Hopefully we'll be journeying into the middle realm more soon.

By Luke Guttridge