Whiptail Interactive, a leading publisher of PC games, today announced that Restricted Area, its critically acclaimed action/RPG, has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Restricted Area has been a highly anticipated game in the U.S. since its release last year in Germany.

Developed by Master Creating, Restricted Area shipped in Germany last year where it received accolades from consumers and critics alike. The game, which has been compared to the likes of the Fallout and Diablo series', was nominated in five categories at the 2004 German Developer Awards, including Best PC Game, Best Game Characters and Best Story/Gameworld.

"We expect Restricted Area to set itself apart from other action/RPG titles not only because of the recognition and nominations it has received in Europe, but also due to the solid gameplay and graphics, said Joe Muoio, President of Whiptail Interactive. "We're to seeing the reaction from the North American PC gamers."

Powered by the IRIS graphics engine, Restricted Area offers characters and environments a great amount of detail – up to 100,000 polygons per character. The engine is able to put all the power of current 3D accelerators into a countless number of stunning graphical effects that have rarely been seen in this genre.

Set in the distant future of 2083, Restricted Area resembles a dark world where much of the earth is covered with mutant inhabited wastelands caused by environmental pollution. Restricted Area slips the player into the role of one of four unique characters: The former taskforce agent John Johnson, who has become a hired gun, proficient in a multitude of fire weapons. Victoria Williams, a psionic sorceress with futuristic magic capabilities. Kenji Takahashi, a martial arts master skilled in close-combat attacks or a mysterious female computer hacker who is closely guarded by a flying drone. The choice determines how the story will play out. Although an RPG at its core, Restricted Area places an emphasis on action, resulting in faster game play; it also boasts a cooperative multiplayer feature that enables players to team up and engage enemies together.

Restricted Area ships to retailers at a suggested price of $39.99 and an ESRB rating of "M" for Mature. Further information about the game can be found online at www.whiptailinteractive.com.