[haptsonir]

http://www.irontowerstudio.com/index.htm

The Age of Decadence is an independent post-apocalyptic fantasy RPG in development by Iron Tower Studios.

You've got:

7 distinctive gameplay styles: from knight, serving a Noble House, to grifter, preying on greed and gullibility.

23 skills, ranging from Dagger and Critical Strike to Disguise and Persuasion to Crafting and Lore.

Action Point (turn based) combat system, featuring a flexible set of standard attacks, special attacks such as whirlwind and impale, and aimed attacks at different body parts.

Non-combat quest resolutions and a well-developed diplomatic path ( "The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy." )

Each situation has multiple ways of handling it, based on your skills, reputation, and connections. Each way has consequences that will affect someone or something.

Extensive dialogue trees, written with role-playing in mind. You can use many skills in dialogues, take actions like stealing or sneak-attacking, and play your character with personality as you see fit.

An interesting world with rich history and unclear future that your actions can shape into seven very different game endings.

There is a combat demo available on the official website, in which you can walk around a little and test the combat system in arena fights. Newer screenshots and information on the forums.

After years of development, the game is apparently now in its finishing stages with all the content ready. The developers won't give a release date yet, but it looks like it's actually going to be out sometime.

Given the direction Bioware, Bethesda etc. have taken in recent years, indie developers are probably the best hope for serious RPGs. And AOD looks like it might kick.