Odium

Odium is a turn-based tactical RPG with survival horror elements, originally released in Poland as Gorky 17 and brought to North America in 2000 by Monolith Productions, TopWare Interactive, Metropolis Software, and Interplay. The game blends simple point-and-click exploration with tile-based combat set against a Cold War conspiracy backdrop. Players control a three-member NATO squad, soldier Cole Sullivan, jack-of-all-trades Jarek Ovitz, and scientist Thiery Trantigne, sent to the Polish village of Korov to investigate the disappearance of a previous team and mysterious creatures linked to the abandoned Russian facility Gorky 17.

The adventure segments are minimal, featuring obvious interactable objects marked by blinking indicators. The real strategic challenge lies in combat, where positioning, ammo conservation, and exploiting enemy weaknesses are vital. The RPG system is two-tiered: one set of skills governs maximum hitpoints, accuracy, calmness, and luck, while a separate experience track improves proficiency with each weapon type. Ammunition and healing items are scarce, and the death of any squad member results in a game over, although battles can be restarted.

Enemy AI is notably aggressive and coordinated, flanking the player and using appropriate weapons at optimal ranges. The graphics, powered by a 3D accelerator, feature drab, Quake II-like palettes and rigid character models. Cinematic cutscenes introduce new foes with modest effectiveness. The interface is extraordinarily simple, relying entirely on left and right mouse clicks, and the options menu offers only basic gamma, shadow, and volume settings. The game is relatively short, with only one ending and little incentive to replay after completion.