Paraworld
Encyclopedia
ParaWorld is a real-time strategy
PC game released on September 25, 2006. It was developed by the German company SEK (Spieleentwicklungskombinat), based in Berlin. The game features more than 50 prehistoric animals, especially dinosaur
s and Pleistocene
mammals. The game uses TAGES
, and therefore installs a driver on the system for copy protection.
The story takes place in a parallel dimension, where prehistoric life thrives alongside diverse human civilizations that are not technologically advanced. As a result, dinosaurs take the place of traditional wildlife and livestock, though some of the dinosaurs in-game are highly stylized and not necessarily scientifically accurate. Wild-living dinosaurs can be hunted for food, though some are of dangerous and aggressive species and will attack any player unit that wanders too close. Other prehistoric creatures make an appearance as well, for example woolly mammoth
s are used where other games might feature elephant
s.
Players advance through epochs in order to unlock new technologies and upgrades.
") is an alternate universe where dinosaurs and ice age
creatures never became extinct. A group of 19th-century scientists, the SEAS (the Society of Exact Alternative Science)led by scientific genius Jarvis Babbit, discovered the parallel world where dinosaurs and primitive human tribes coexist. When they subsequently learned that people don't age in this dimension and that the concept of electricity is inexistant, they decided to remain there to rule.
Later, three young scientists are led to Jarvis Babbit: the American
geologist
Anthony Cole, Swedish
biologist
Stina Holmlund, and Hungarian
physics genius Béla András Benedek, all of whom having discovered elements in the "real" world that point toward the existence of a parallel world. Jarvis Babbit decides to send the three scientists into "Paraworld", seemingly for an expedition. However, when the three heroes discover the true intentions of the SEAS, they have to rally all the parallel world's warring inhabitants in order to defeat the SEAS.
The three scientists serve as the game's core "hero" units. Their main goal is to return to their home world, but to do this they will need to enlist the aid of enlightened natives and battle against the hostile creatures, tribes, and ultimately the masterminds trying to stop them. Along the way they'll meet several characters who are seemingly based on classical scientists such as Nicola Tesla or Charles Darwin
("Nikolaj Taslow" and "James Warden" in the game). They eventually discover that a man named David Leighton, who is one of Babbit's men, is orchestrating events on the parallel world, and pursue him. They also learn of a plot to permanently seal the world away by moving the planet out of orbit, which will also trigger a cataclysm.
In order to save the planet and secure their own escape from ParaWorld, they are forced to assault Babbit's fortifications. They manage to stop the countdown and Cole kills Leighton in battle. Babbit makes a last-ditch effort to stop the heroes by using a giant robot. Having failed, Babbit falls into lava and presumably dies. The heroes finally go back home. However, Cole is awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call of Béla telling him that the dinosaurs have come through as well. The chaos of ParaWorld now ensues on planet Earth.
. The developing company SEK shut down due to insufficient sales, and Sunflowers ended their partnership with it. The previously announced expansion pack
was cancelled. A Booster Pack for the game was released, containing new maps, heroes, and missions, and was only compatible with Russian copies of the game. However, members of the ParaWorld gaming community have provided an unofficial downloadable version of the Booster Pack for all regions.
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
PC game released on September 25, 2006. It was developed by the German company SEK (Spieleentwicklungskombinat), based in Berlin. The game features more than 50 prehistoric animals, especially dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s and Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
mammals. The game uses TAGES
TAGES
Tagès is a software copy protection system, jointly developed, at first, by MPO and the Thales Group starting in 1999...
, and therefore installs a driver on the system for copy protection.
Gameplay
The game-concept is similar to "Age of Empires", which is a real-time strategy game. ParaWorld features food, wood, and stone as resources. Food can be picked from bushes, hunted from animals, fished from the sea, or farmed. Stone is located in limited deposits, and wood, cut from trees, is generally scattered throughout a map. Battles can occur on both land and sea.The story takes place in a parallel dimension, where prehistoric life thrives alongside diverse human civilizations that are not technologically advanced. As a result, dinosaurs take the place of traditional wildlife and livestock, though some of the dinosaurs in-game are highly stylized and not necessarily scientifically accurate. Wild-living dinosaurs can be hunted for food, though some are of dangerous and aggressive species and will attack any player unit that wanders too close. Other prehistoric creatures make an appearance as well, for example woolly mammoth
Woolly mammoth
The woolly mammoth , also called the tundra mammoth, is a species of mammoth. This animal is known from bones and frozen carcasses from northern North America and northern Eurasia with the best preserved carcasses in Siberia...
s are used where other games might feature elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s.
Players advance through epochs in order to unlock new technologies and upgrades.
Norsemen units
- Worker: Workers are the tribe's basic units. They harvest resources and construct buildings. They are poor fighters, but relatively good hunters.
- Warrior: This infantry unit is effective against infantry units and ineffective against animals.
- Spearman: Spearmen are infantry units that are rather specialized in fighting animals.
- Archer: ArcherArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
s are ranged infantry units. They are effective against infantry and mounted units. - Lancer: The Lancer is extremely effective against animals.
- Druid: Druids are healers that can detect traps and hidden units. They can be provided with spells to scout on the enemy from any location on the map, to harass the enemies' food production and to create replicates of themselves in order to confuse the enemy.
- Scout: The Scout is a weak, fast unit riding a MegalocerosMegalocerosThe deer of the genus Megaloceros - ; see also Lister - were found throughout Eurasia from the late Pliocene to the Late Pleistocene, and were important herbivores during the Ice Ages. The largest species, M...
used to spy upon the player's enemies or to boost his army's strength in combat. - Chariot: The ChariotChariotThe chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
is a fast and weak animal unit that can carry one infantry unit. - Wild boar: The Wild boarBoarWild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
is a moderately powerful animal unit. - Kentrosaurus: The KentrosaurusKentrosaurusKentrosaurus is a genus of stegosaurid dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of Tanzania. Its fossils have been found only in the Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania, dated to the Kimmeridgian stage, between about 155.7 ± 4 Ma and 150.8 ± 4 Ma . Apparently, all finds belong to one species, K...
is a moderately powerful animal unit that damages fighters attacking it in melee with its spikes. - Battle Rhino: The Battle rhinoRhinocerosRhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
is a strong animal unit suitable for many forms of combat. - Rhino Transporter: The Rhino transporter is a strong animal unit that can transport two infantry units on a casket on its back.
- Ballista Rhino: The Ballista rhino is a strong ranged animal unit. Its rider shoots bolts from a ballista attached to its back.
- Battle Mammoth: The Battle mammothMammothA mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
is a strong animal unit that damages multiple opponents with its mighty tusks. - Mammoth Harvester: The Mammoth harvester is a strong animal unit that can harvest wood and stone more effectively than a regular worker does.
- Log Cannon: The Log cannon is a strong ranged animal unit that is effective against buildings. It consists of a mammoth carrying a large siege weapon.
- Triceratops Titan: The TriceratopsTriceratopsTriceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
titan is the Norsemen's strongest unit. It is a powerful animal unit that can transport four infantry units on its back. - Market Wagon: Travels between marketplaces trading goods.
- Battle Ram: This machine unit is very effective against buildings.
- Battle Tank: The Battle tank is a strong ranged machine unit. It can transport up to ten infantry units, but they cannot attack from inside the tank.
- Fishing Boat: This unit does not fight. It collects fish as source of food.
- Transport Ship: This ship cannot fight. It is used to transport up to ten units.
- Dragon Boat: The Dragon boat is a moderately powerful ranged ship.
- Ram Ship: This powerful ship is very effective against enemy ships. It takes them down in melee with a massive ram.
- Battleship: This strong ranged ship is effective against buildings. It is rather weak against other ships and should to be guarded by ram ships or dragon boats.
- Berserker: Berserkers are powerful fighters but are impossible to control.
- Crossbowman: Crossbowman are ranged infantry units that do a lot more damage than archers.
- Eusmilus Rider: This animal unit is fast effective against anything.
- Killer: The killer is an infantry unit with a hammer that does a lot of damage.
- Jetpack Warrior: This infantry unit can jump great distances.
- Exo Enforcer. This machine unit is effective in close combat.
- Flamethrower: This infantry unit causes area damage.
- Undead Warrior: This warior can hide in trenches. They're great, but are very slow.
Dustrider units
- Worker: Workers are the tribe's basic units. They harvest resources and construct buildings. They are poor fighters, but relatively good hunters.
- Spearman: Spearmen are infantry units that are rather specialized in fighting animals.
- Warrior: This infantry unit is effective against infantry units and ineffective against animals. It can be provided with an aura that decreases the damage dealt by enemy units.
- Archer: Archers are ranged infantry units. They are effective against infantry and mounted units.
- Poisoner: Poisoners are suicidal infantry units carrying a jar filled with poison. Upon death, they release the poison to all enemy units around.
- Shaman: Shamans are spellcasters that can detect traps and hidden units. They can revive killed units and support the player's army. Their scouting, immobilizing and damaging spells are of greatest use in big battles and siege alike.
- Venom Thrower: The Venom Thrower is ranged infantry unit that throws bottles of venom at the enemy.
- Rammer: Rammers are infantry units that can be extremely effective against buildings and fortifications.
- Assasin: The Assasin is a poisnous infantry unit.
- Flamethrower: This infantry unit cause area damage.
- Scout: The Scout is a weak, fast unit riding a DilophosaurusDilophosaurusDilophosaurus was a theropod dinosaur from the Sinemurian stage of the Early Jurassic Period, about 193 million years ago. The first specimens were described in 1954, but it was not until over a decade later that the genus received its current name...
used to spy upon the player's enemies. - Raptor Handler: A trainer attacks with a velociraptor.
- Trade Dino: An Iguanodon carrying goods from one bazaar to another.
- Ankylosaurus: The AnkylosaurusAnkylosaurusAnkylosaurus is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur, containing one species, A. magniventris...
is a moderately powerful animal unit that is mostly used to take down enemy buildings. - Ankylo Catapult: The Ankylo-catapult is a moderately powerful ranged animal unit that shoots either poisoned stones or dinosaur eggs that velociraptors hatch upon landing, attacking enemy units independently.
- Stegosaurus: The StegosaurusStegosaurusStegosaurus is a genus of armored stegosaurid dinosaur. They lived during the Late Jurassic period , some 155 to 150 million years ago in what is now western North America. In 2006, a specimen of Stegosaurus was announced from Portugal, showing that they were present in Europe as well...
is a moderately powerful animal unit. It is effective against infantry units. - Stego Transporter: The Stego transporter is a moderately powerful animal unit that can carry four infantry units on its back.
- Brachiosaurus: The BrachiosaurusBrachiosaurusBrachiosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America. It was first described by Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in the Grand River Canyon of western Colorado, in the United States. Riggs named the dinosaur Brachiosaurus altithorax,...
is a strong animal unit that damages multiple opponents. - Brachio Transporter: The Brachio transporter is a strong animal unit that can carry four infantry units on its back.
- Mobile Camp: The Mobile camp is basically a brachiosaurus with a huge camp-like building on its back which shoots arrows like a tower. Strong in ranged combat, it is able to produce infantry units and serves as collection point for resources harvested by workers.
- Bracio Catapult: The Brachio catapult is a strong ranged animal unit extremely effective against buildings. The poisoned stones it shoots can also harm infantry units.
- Triceratops Transporter: The Triceratops Transporter is an animal unit that carries three infantry units.
- Allosaurus: The AllosaurusAllosaurusAllosaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived 155 to 150 million years ago during the late Jurassic period . The name Allosaurus means "different lizard". It is derived from the Greek /allos and /sauros...
is a strong animal unit that is extremely effective against infantry and mounted units. - Eusmilus Rider: This animal unit is fast effective against anything.
- Mobile Center: The Mobile Center is an iguanodon carrying a carriage that collects resources and produces workers.
- T-Rex Titan: The T-Rex titan is the strongest unit in the game. It deals a lot of damage.
- Tracker Dino: The Tracker Dino is a velociraptor who seeks out enemies.
- Floating Harbour: The Floating harbour is a harbour that can be moved on the sea. It harvests fish as source of food and produces amphibic and sea animals and ships.
- Transport Turtle: This unit is a bad fighter. It is used to transport up to ten units. It is amphibic, that means it can walk on land and swim in water.
- Kronosaurus: The KronosaurusKronosaurusKronosaurus is an extinct genus of short-necked pliosaur. It was among the largest pliosaurs, and is named after the leader of the Greek Titans, Cronus.-Discovery and species:Kronosaurus lived in the Early Cretaceous Period ....
is a marine animal unit that can be very dangerous if built in masses. It takes down enemy ships in close combat. - Torpedo Turtle: The Torpedo turtleTurtleTurtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
is a suicidal unit that, once produced, takes off in a random direction in search of enemy units. If it encounters them, it explodes and deals a lot of damage. If it does not find any enemies, it dies after 45 seconds. - Catamaran: The Catamaran is a versatile ship that can be used to siege as well as to fight enemy units with its poisoned stones.
Dragon Clan units
- Worker: Workers are the tribe's basic units. They harvest resources and construct buildings. They are poor fighters, but relatively good hunters.
- Archer: Archers are ranged infantry units. They are effective against infantry and mounted units. They have many upgrades to enhance their strength.
- Samurai: This infantry unit is effective against infantry units and ineffective against animals.
- Spearman: Spearmen are infantry units that are specialized in fighting animals.
- Ice Spearman: Ice Spearmen are infantry units that freeze enemies with spears.
- Mortar: Mortars are infantry units that attack from a very long range. Their attacks deal damage to all units in the area their missiles explode and are mostly effective against buildings.
- Marksmen: The Marksmen is a infantry unit that deals damage with a large gun.
- Sumo Wrestler: Sumo Wrestlers are strong infantry units.
- Ninja: NinjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
s are infantry units that are specialized in fighting infantry units. They deal a lot of damage and can attack from a small range as well, dealing less damage, however. They can receive upgrades that provides them with permanent invisibility and the ability to lock open an enemy gate. - Monk: MonkMonkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s are healers that can detect traps and hidden units. They can learn a spell to scout and reveal hidden units in a large area around them. - Flamethrower: This infantry unit cause area damage.
- Scout: The Scout is a weak, fast unit riding a GallimimusGallimimusGallimimus is a genus of ornithomimid theropod dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period Nemegt Formation of Mongolia. With individuals as long as , it was one of the largest ornithomimosaurs...
used to spy upon the player's enemies. - Trade Cart: The Trade Cart travels between emporiums.
- Gatling Rider: The Gatling rider is a ParasaurolophusParasaurolophusParasaurolophus is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 76.5–73 million years ago. It was an herbivore that walked both as a biped and a quadruped. Three species are recognized: P. walkeri , P. tubicen, and the...
mounted by a gunner that shoots bullets very fast. It is a moderately powerful animal unit. - Eusmilus Rider: This animal unit is fast effective against anything.
- Baryonyx Rider: The BaryonyxBaryonyxBaryonyx is a genus of carnivorous saurischian dinosaur first discovered in clay pits just south of Dorking, England, and later reported from fossils found in northern Spain and Portugal. It is known to contain only one species, Baryonyx walkeri...
rider is a moderately powerful amphibic animal unit that is invisible until it attacks. - War Drums: The War drums is a parasaurolophus that pulls a war drum like a carriage. Its drum sounds provide a damage bonus to nearby units.
- Salta Transporter: The Salta transporter is a strong animal unit that can carry three infantry units on its back. It can be provided with a skill to make it invincible for some seconds.
- Seismosaurus Titan: The Seismosaurus titan the strongest animal unit the Dragon Clan has. It fights with a huge cannon on its back that has a very long range. In mele, it fights with two gatlings. The equipment is located on its back. Its entire body is surrounded by light metal armor.
- Smokebombomber: The Smokebomber is a vehicle unit that can cannot fight. It surrounds nearby units with smoke, making them invisible if they stay close enough.
- Trike: Trikes are fast vehicle units that damage multiple opponent units with their flamethrower.
- Mechanical Scorpion: The Mechanical Scorpion is a strong vehicle unit and an extremely effective wood harvester.
- Dragon tank: The Dragon tank has the longest range of all siege units. Its bombs deal a lot of damage to enemy buildings.
- Fishing Boat: This unit does not fight. It collects fish as source of food.
- Transport Ship: This unit does not fight. It is used to transport up to ten units.
- Fireboat: The Fireboat is a ship that damages multiple opponent units, like the Trike, just on sea. It is dangerous if built in masses.
- Muraeno submarine: The Muraeno submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
is a maritime animal unit that is invisible until it attacks. Its torpedo deals a lot of damage. - Rocket boat: The Rocket boat is a long-range ship that fires salves of rockets. Those rockets explode on impact, dealing damage to units and buildings. Rocket boats are effective siege units.
- Minelayer: This is a ship that produces floating mines.
- Corsair Ship: The Corsair ship produces floating towers.
SEAS units
- Worker: A weak fighter and is mainly used for building, resource harvesting and killing animals.
- Guard: An average warrior unit.
- Marksmen: A unit with a fast shooting gun similar to a machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
that deals great damage however has low HP. - Gunner: Similar to Marksmen however causes less damage and has more HP.
- Rocket Launcher: A slow infantry unit that causes great damage with his rocket launcherRocket launcherA rocket launcher is any device that launches a rocket-propelled projectile, although the term is often used in reference to mechanisms that are portable and capable of being operated by an individual....
however can be easily killed and should always be protected. - Flamethrower: A unit armed with a flamethrowerFlamethrowerA flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
that causes area damage however cannot attack from transporters. - Medic: A unit similar to druids and monks that cannot attack and can heal individual units.
- Sentinel: A two legged robot resembling a dinosaur with weak attacks. Can be classed as a scout however is more HP, is slower and more powerful.
- Exo Enforcer: A humanoid robot with average attack and HP.
- Exo Flamethrower: Similar to the exo enforcer however is armed with a flamethrowerFlamethrowerA flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
and causes area damage. - CBT-500: A robotic TriceratopsTriceratopsTriceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
which quite powerful and has over average attack and HP. - CBT-1000: Similar to the cbt-500 however has a transport basket that can transport up to three units.
- Black Widow: A robot with the structure of a spiderSpiderSpiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
that attacks with a powerful cannon. - Executioner: A large humanoid robot that is extremely powerful.
- Executioner MKII: Similar to the executioner however is armed with a machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
and can attack both close combat and ranged combat. Is technically classed as the SEAS titan by SEK. - Babbit's Exo Enforcer: The same as an exo enforcer however can only be controlled by Jarvis Babbit, has a lot more HP and is way more powerful attack wise. Is armed with a [machine gun]]. This is classed as the SEAS titan by most of the ParaWorld community.
- Scorpion: The scorpion is an extremely large robot in the shape of a scorpion. Classed as a building by SEK, the scorpionScorpionScorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
is classed as the SEAS titan by the rest of the ParaWorld community. It is extremely powerful and can take out most units in one hit. Its attacks are varied and it can attack with either its claws, bites or with a flamethrowerFlamethrowerA flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
attached to i's mouth. It is driven by Babbit's exo enforcer and can only be destroyed by taking out the three control boxes. - Hovercraft: A hovercraft is an airborne transporter that can travel over land and sea. It can transport up to 10 units.
- Submarine: A submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
or U-Sub as it is commonly called is literally a submarine that attacks with torpedoes. - Stinger: A stinger or helicopter as it is commonly called is a small version of a helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
armed with a machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. - Carrier: The Carrier is a huge combat ship armed with two powerful cannons. It also produces the hovercraft, submarine and stinger. It is extremely similar to Mobile Harbors except it cannot fish and it can defend itself.
Playable factions
- Norsemen: Based on VikingVikingThe term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
legend, the Norsemen are stout warriors. They rely on heavy armor and thick, solid walls. They have the strongest close combat infantry fighters. - Dustriders: Loosely based on AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n cultures, the Dustriders are desert-dwelling nomads, to the extent that some of their "buildings" are actually mobile units. They are the most flexible of all tribes as they can take down their buildings, recovering the resources used for their construction. In addition, Dustrider infantry units (as well as workers) can construct buildings. - Dragon Clan: Derived from classical East Asian societies, the Dragon Clan is technologically ahead of most other game factions, being the only native faction equipped with gunpowderGunpowderGunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
weapons. They specialize in machine units and hidden traps as well as ranged combat.
Plot summary
ParaWorld ("parallel worldParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
") is an alternate universe where dinosaurs and ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
creatures never became extinct. A group of 19th-century scientists, the SEAS (the Society of Exact Alternative Science)led by scientific genius Jarvis Babbit, discovered the parallel world where dinosaurs and primitive human tribes coexist. When they subsequently learned that people don't age in this dimension and that the concept of electricity is inexistant, they decided to remain there to rule.
Later, three young scientists are led to Jarvis Babbit: the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
Anthony Cole, Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
Stina Holmlund, and Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
physics genius Béla András Benedek, all of whom having discovered elements in the "real" world that point toward the existence of a parallel world. Jarvis Babbit decides to send the three scientists into "Paraworld", seemingly for an expedition. However, when the three heroes discover the true intentions of the SEAS, they have to rally all the parallel world's warring inhabitants in order to defeat the SEAS.
The three scientists serve as the game's core "hero" units. Their main goal is to return to their home world, but to do this they will need to enlist the aid of enlightened natives and battle against the hostile creatures, tribes, and ultimately the masterminds trying to stop them. Along the way they'll meet several characters who are seemingly based on classical scientists such as Nicola Tesla or Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
("Nikolaj Taslow" and "James Warden" in the game). They eventually discover that a man named David Leighton, who is one of Babbit's men, is orchestrating events on the parallel world, and pursue him. They also learn of a plot to permanently seal the world away by moving the planet out of orbit, which will also trigger a cataclysm.
In order to save the planet and secure their own escape from ParaWorld, they are forced to assault Babbit's fortifications. They manage to stop the countdown and Cole kills Leighton in battle. Babbit makes a last-ditch effort to stop the heroes by using a giant robot. Having failed, Babbit falls into lava and presumably dies. The heroes finally go back home. However, Cole is awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call of Béla telling him that the dinosaurs have come through as well. The chaos of ParaWorld now ensues on planet Earth.
Reception
Upon release the game was met with fair reviews with an average critic score of 72% at Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. The developing company SEK shut down due to insufficient sales, and Sunflowers ended their partnership with it. The previously announced expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
was cancelled. A Booster Pack for the game was released, containing new maps, heroes, and missions, and was only compatible with Russian copies of the game. However, members of the ParaWorld gaming community have provided an unofficial downloadable version of the Booster Pack for all regions.