Greedfall teaser reveals a Baroque-inspired RPG about the perils of colonization
The cinematic trailer teases a familiar tale.
"Le What's Next de Focus" sounds like the sort of french that's spoken by a person who doesn't actually speak a lick of it, but it is in fact the name of Focus Home Interactive's annual press event—Focus Home is based in Paris—showcasing its upcoming games. Among the new projects revealed at the most recent event, which took place last week, was the next RPG from Spiders, "a grand journey filled with mystery" called Greedfall.
Greedfall is about the settlers, treasure hunters, and mercenaries who come rushing to a remote, magical island that's rumored to be teeming in hidden wealth and lost secrets. But the island isn't uninhabited, and tensions between the invaders and the supernatural locals quickly rises. "The island of GreedFall is a living, ever-evolving world," the announcement says. "Your actions, from seemingly trivial choices to the most important political decisions, will influence and affect its course as well as the relationship between the different factions established on the island."
Spiders' previous games, including Of Orcs and Men, Mars: War Logs, and Bound By Flame, haven't exactly been runaway hits, but Focus Home apparently has no regrets—and high hopes for Greedfall, too. "If Spiders' titles could have divided gamers in the past, they are gathering a bigger and bigger audience that enjoys the studio's approach to the role-playing genre, allowing Spiders to improve game after game," president Cédric Lagarrigue said. "Through this new collaboration [with Focus Home], the studio will have more means to fully achieve its ambition. Thanks to its theme, its universe, and its promise, Spiders' Greedfall will be a game to follow closely for RPG lovers."
It is an interesting theme for an RPG, if not the most original, and the trailer, while entirely cinematic, has my curiosity. I'll admit that I haven't been a very big fan of previous Spiders games, but at this early point I'm hopeful for a better outcome for Greedfall. It's currently scheduled for a 2018 release.
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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.
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