Another title that had slipped us by was Salem, at GDC Paradox have release a new dev diary for the title focusing on the Crime & Punishment system in place in the game.

That’s right, Salem like so few other MMO experiences will feature Permadeath, a feature usually reserved for ‘hardcore’ difficulty modes that basically means when your character dies, that’s it, it’s back to the start with a new character. So if you perform a heinous crime in your neighbouring village you will be hunted down by the villages’ trackers who will then exact justice by removing your character from existence.

The permadeath mechanic is one that can be a slight marmite feature in a game, as a simulator fan, the concept is fantastic to myself, and it means that suddenly the game that you are playing has meaning; simple tasks become tense situations and your life is truly on the line. However others see it in a different light; bashing the arduous task of repeating the same sections, and the same levels, causing the game to become more of a grind. Give us your thoughts on permadeath if you have any.

Salem is scheduled for a release during Q3 of 2012, and will be available online free to play for Windows, Linux and Mac.