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Have you ever considered a profession as a no-holds-barred, conscience-free killer? Based on the magazine of the same name, Soldier of Fortune is a first-person shooter created by Raven Software, the makers of Hexen.

The story is simple: you are a covert soldier-for-hire. As a deadly, highly trained killer, you journey throughout the world to the most dangerous of places for a price.

From speeding freight trains in Africa to oil refineries in Iraq, you take on thirty deadly missions spanning five continents. Track your prey across the world to take down a fanatical terrorist organization before you or the world is destroyed.

Some of the world's most lethal weaponry is highlighted, including the sniper rifle, white phosphorous grenade and a prototype microwave pulse gun. Combat realism was a focus with Hollywood-based company House of Moves providing motion-capture animation. Shoot an enemy in the leg, and he'll fall to the ground and writhe in pain. Shoot an enemy in the head, and he'll just slump to the ground like a rock in a pond.

Soldier of Fortune was not designed as a traditional "shoot-em-up" title, as covert operations are a must and immersing your character in various scenarios is necessary. Infiltrate enemy locations and blend in with characters that treat you like just another face -- until you blow your cover. Keeping your cool is necessary because when you cross the line and draw suspicion upon yourself, you'll be one man against an army.

For multi-player gamers, several modes of play are provided including the basic Deathmatch (kill all who move), Assassin (track and kill a pre-determined player while someone else hunts you) and Arsenal (race to be the first to kill opponents using each of your weapons).

Finally, Soldier of Fortune utilizes a modified version of the Quake II engine and uses Raven Software's "GHOUL" rendering system that focuses on improved detail, faster gameplay and 3D graphics.

The development team includes Project Lead and Creative Director Brian Raffel, co-founder of Raven Software, Eric Biessman, Project Coordinator for Hexen II, and Lead Programmer Rick Johnson, who worked in the same position on both Hexen II and Heretic II. ~ Chris Couper, All Game Guide