This is just one more example of why PC gaming can be such a rewarding experience. Way back in 1989, Sierra Entertainment and Activision graced the PC gaming world with Quest for Glory, a massive adventure/RPG hybrid set in the world of Gloriana. And now, almost 25 years later, we're seeing the birth of a fan-made "QFG-inspired" title, Heroin's Quest.
The game has been in development for over 4 years by a small indie group dubbed Crystal Shard. The studio is also responsible for the recently released Indiana Rodent, and is currently developing Draconis and Leylines. Heroine's Quest is rooted deep in Nordic mythology, and follows the player through an epic quest to stop the Herald of Ragnarok from bringing on an eternal Winter.
Although this may be a free title, it doesn't act like one. There are over 100 hand-painted backgrounds (in Adobe Photoshop CS), an auto-mapping feature, optional side-quests, voice acting, and many skills and abilities to explore. You'll be able to choose from three different classes, warrior, sorceress, and rogue, and you can even "mesh together" skills from different classes to create your own custom experience.
Crystal Shard attempted to keep the fan-made title as true to the Sierra releases as possible, so graphically you'll witness a 320 x 200 resolution. Combat will operate similar to the Quest for Glory series, but developers did promise some subtle surprises and differences. The preview trailer above should give you a better idea at what you can expect from this impressive project.
Currently, Heroine's Quest is only available for PC, but Crystal Shard states on its website that a Linux and Mac version should be available sometime in early 2014. You can download this fan-made romp right now.