Do you miss earlier party-based RPGs? Call of Saregnar is an in development title from Damjan Mozetič inspired by the likes of Betrayal at Krondor, TES: Daggerfall and Realms of Arkania.
The developer explains that it's a game of exploration and investigation with an emphasis on story and characters, and that it "proudly ditches the cliches of the RPG genre and expects you to think". What makes it real interesting is that it blends together a low-poly 3D style with the characters made from shots of real-life actors.
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"Call of Saregnar is a nod to the wonderful era of party-based RPGs from the 90's. It’s got an intriguing story and interesting characters in a unique low-fantasy medieval setting. The graphics are charmingly old-school with billboard trees and a low-poly 3D world. All the characters are photographs and frame sequences of real actors, that you can interact with, see them in the world and fight with. The combat system is a turn-based hex grid affair with many tactical options. Also the game has a magic systems based on gods and divine favour, which is really unique and immersive. Overall the game has a very relaxing pace, and it feels like reading a good novel; Makes you feel right at home."
Features at a glance:
- 10 chapters involving a mature story in a believable world,
- A tribute to the early 90’s: Low-poly 3D, hand-pixelated custom goodness,
- Real-life digitized actors as characters,
- 100% hand-built levels, 100% hand-placed props, enemies and items,
- An open world to explore, filled with engaging NPCs, locations and quests which support the main storyline,
- Classless per-use skill-based character development,
- Strategic turn-based hex grid combat,
- Unique magic system based on divine favour,
- Less is more: fewer, but well-defined items,
- You won't find a quest marker here, just a map and a journal to aid you in your quest.
Seems the idea has been quite popular with it closing in on having enough monthly funding via their Patreon to be a full-time thing. On the status of Linux support, the developer made it clear on Twitter that it's already hooked up.
You can follow it on Steam.
Wishlisted -> dragged to the top
Edit: Realms of Arkania was an asshole of a game, and fit as well into the 'survival' genre as RPG!
Last edited by slaapliedje on 20 September 2021 at 3:21 pm UTC
Edit: In this interview, the developer says the game "is 90% Betrayal at Krondor inspired, but you may find a bit of the old Realms of Arkania trilogy in there, as well as Microprose’s Darklands, Might and Magic VI and other games of the ’90s.". But no specifics given.
Edit: Realms of Arkania was an asshole of a game, and fit as well into the 'survival' genre as RPG!I assume that's meant as a compliment :-). If I think back on the series, its one of the aspects I remember fondly. Traveling the wilderness or entering a dungeon required a bit of preparation, lest you run out of arrows or, god forbid, your boots fell apart. You also wanted some blankets and camping gear or resting wouldn't restore much health / astral energy. It mostly came down to a one-time investment and some blocked inventory space, but it helped reinforce the feeling of leaving the safety of civilization behind and going out on an adventure.
Last edited by kaiman on 20 September 2021 at 6:04 pm UTC
Edit: In this interview, the developer says the game "is 90% Betrayal at Krondor inspired, but you may find a bit of the old Realms of Arkania trilogy in there, as well as Microprose’s Darklands, Might and Magic VI and other games of the ’90s.". But no specifics given.
Thanks for the find! I'd have wished for a bit more of Realms of Arkania influence, but the aesthetics of the game alone are totally my thing.
I assume that's meant as a compliment :-). If I think back on the series, its one of the aspects I remember fondly. Traveling the wilderness or entering a dungeon required a bit of preparation, lest you run out of arrows or, god forbid, your boots fell apart. You also wanted some blankets and camping gear or resting wouldn't restore much health / astral energy. It mostly came down to a one-time investment and some blocked inventory space, but it helped reinforce the feeling of leaving the safety of civilization behind and going out on an adventure.For sure it was. If I recall it is one where you could get disease and freeze to death.
Still wasn't as bad as Robinson's Requiem / Deus, in which if you tumbled down a hill, you would break your ankles and have to bandage and heal them. 'Survival' games these days are weak sauce compared to those.
Good lord! So what happened if you took an arrow to the knee?I assume that's meant as a compliment :-). If I think back on the series, its one of the aspects I remember fondly. Traveling the wilderness or entering a dungeon required a bit of preparation, lest you run out of arrows or, god forbid, your boots fell apart. You also wanted some blankets and camping gear or resting wouldn't restore much health / astral energy. It mostly came down to a one-time investment and some blocked inventory space, but it helped reinforce the feeling of leaving the safety of civilization behind and going out on an adventure.For sure it was. If I recall it is one where you could get disease and freeze to death.
Still wasn't as bad as Robinson's Requiem / Deus, in which if you tumbled down a hill, you would break your ankles and have to bandage and heal them. 'Survival' games these days are weak sauce compared to those.
You became a guard. :PGood lord! So what happened if you took an arrow to the knee?I assume that's meant as a compliment :-). If I think back on the series, its one of the aspects I remember fondly. Traveling the wilderness or entering a dungeon required a bit of preparation, lest you run out of arrows or, god forbid, your boots fell apart. You also wanted some blankets and camping gear or resting wouldn't restore much health / astral energy. It mostly came down to a one-time investment and some blocked inventory space, but it helped reinforce the feeling of leaving the safety of civilization behind and going out on an adventure.For sure it was. If I recall it is one where you could get disease and freeze to death.
Still wasn't as bad as Robinson's Requiem / Deus, in which if you tumbled down a hill, you would break your ankles and have to bandage and heal them. 'Survival' games these days are weak sauce compared to those.
classless per-use skill-based character developmentWhile Betrayal at Krondor wasn't classless, it also had per-use skill-based character development. You could set a focus, but skills improved by using them.
For sure it was. If I recall it is one where you could get disease and freeze to death.That makes me think of Unreal World.
Still wasn't as bad as Robinson's Requiem / Deus, in which if you tumbled down a hill, you would break your ankles and have to bandage and heal them. 'Survival' games these days are weak sauce compared to those.
By the way Liam, the like button for the article is hidden with uBlock origin enabled. I disabled it for the site and it's probably just my restrictive default configuration, but I thought I'd pass it along in case you were unaware and it mattered.
Vivaldi 4.2.2406.48 (Stable channel) (64-bit); uBLock 1.37.2 with annoyance filters enabled. I disabled the adblocker for the site.
I love classless / levelless RPGs. Probably why I enjoyed Ultima Online so much, and am still a GURPS Player.classless per-use skill-based character developmentWhile Betrayal at Krondor wasn't classless, it also had per-use skill-based character development. You could set a focus, but skills improved by using them.
For sure it was. If I recall it is one where you could get disease and freeze to death.That makes me think of Unreal World.
Still wasn't as bad as Robinson's Requiem / Deus, in which if you tumbled down a hill, you would break your ankles and have to bandage and heal them. 'Survival' games these days are weak sauce compared to those.
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