Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising

Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising (abbreviated as G&H or GnH) is the title of an MMORPG in development by Heatwave Interactive. The game was set in the world of Ancient Rome, and combined historical elements and enemies (Etruscans, Faliscans, etc.) with mythological ones (Cyclops, Gorgons, etc.). Players would select era-appropriate classes including Soldiers, Gladiators and Mystics, each of whom could align themselves with an Olympian god (such as Jupiter or Mars).

Originally developed by Perpetual Entertainment, the game was put on indefinite hold in November, 2008. In February, 2010, Heatwave Interactive announced they had acquired rights to the game and were going to continue its development.

Current development
On February 22, 2010, it was announced that Heatwave Interactive had acquired the rights to the Gods & Heroes, previously developed by Perpetual Entertainment, and that development was back underway. When asked at that time when the game would be released, Heatwave Interactive CEO Anthony Castoro estimated a "window of about a year to 18 months".

Player classes
There are six anticipated classes of character: Soldier, Gladiator, Mystic, Priest, Scout and Nomad, though a Rogue may also be developed. Each class could serve one of two gods: Soldiers serve Minerva or Mars; Gladiators serve Fortuna or Jupiter; Scouts serve Diana or Apollo; Nomads serve Nemesis or Mercury; Priests serve Juno or Pluto; and Mystics serve Trevia or Bacchus. Each God or Goddess granted his or her follower unique God Powers that supplemented the character's class abilities.

Minions
In previous development, minions were touted as one of the game's unique features. There were several different ways to collect the more than 130 minions available in the game. You could hire the minions to join your camp for a fee, earn minions as quest rewards, get minion contracts as loot drops or earn their respect by beating them in combat situations. These minions included warriors, ranged attackers, casters, and mythological creatures. These hirelings would have utilized an AI system enabling them to heal you, attack, defend, form up in various formations and learn special moves. In addition, each god made a different mythical minion available to their scions. In addition to the AI, players would have the ability to control all aspects of their minions, such as telling a healer minion to heal a specific player, as well as customizable squad formations. As a character's level progressed, they gained the ability to control more minions at once, until a character had a full squad with four minions. Each party member would be able to bring up to 4 minions with them in a party. There would be challenges, quests, and some instances that would have limitations on the number of minions you would be able to bring along.

Previous development
The game was originally announced on March 9, 2005 by Perpetual Entertainment, and was slated for release in the 4th quarter of 2005, and then pushed again for 2008, but due to the challenge to develop both 'Gods and Heroes' as well as Star Trek Online, the company decided to hold the development indefinitely. The game had been in closed beta since October 2006, but was shut down the day of hold announcement.

Sony Online Entertainment was named as the publisher and distributor for the game in North America, but had no hand in the development of the game.

The game reached a state of closed beta test. Only a few people were granted beta keys at the time. Beta keys were given away in random intervals on the official homepage. However, it was announced that the game's development would be put on indefinite hold, due to the developers shifting their focus to Star Trek Online, and the beta server was closed. Perpetual Entertainment, now known as P2 Entertainment, has since announced its dissolution.

Heatwave Interactive, a game development studio and online publisher located in Austin, Texas has recently obtained the rights to develop and release the game.

Reception
Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising was well received at 2006's E3, receiving Allakhazam's Best of Show Award; TenTonHammer's Best of Show Award; MMORPG.com's Game of Show and Best Graphics Awards; Stratics' Best Gameplay Award and Game of Show Runner-Up; and GameAmp's Best Gameplay Award.