The developers of the upcoming squad-based tactical RPG Zoria: Age of Shattering have changed their release plans, and they're now going to skip Early Access entirely with a small release day.
Originally they planned to release into EA in April, but now they're instead doing a full release on September 19th. Why? They said "We evaluated our latest milestone and realized that Zoria is so close to being completed that putting it on Early Access would only water down our progress. Launching Zoria in EA would mean launching an incomplete game for a few months when in reality, we only need a few months to finish the game.".
You can check out the previous trailer (now with the wrong date) if you missed it:
Direct Link
Zoria is a squad-based tactical RPG with fluid turn-based combat, outpost, and follower management, set in an expansive fantasy world. In the game, you will lead a team of four heroes at a time with their unique skills and perks. Every team member will contribute to the battles you will undertake.
Features:
- You are the Commander - Lead your diverse team through the fantasy lands of a Uram continent and challenge countless groups of monsters and bosses.
- Explore the world of Zoria - Zoria has now fallen prey to the sheer brutality of the hellspawn that roams its land. Its lush forests, mysterious caves, and majestic buildings have transformed into haunting locations. Explore these mysterious lands to uncover the mysteries within.
- Dynamic Turn Based combat - Use the unique skills of all of your party members to fight your way through the land. Attack from close range or distance with different attack patterns and directions; heal or shield allies with various spells and commands and use your surroundings to your advantage.
- Craft, rest and survive - Keep a keen eye on your equipment and vitality as they both deteriorate over time. A bonfire in Zoria's provides a safe spot to restock your resources and prepare for the next battle.
- Class based accessibility - Take care of each of your warriors' skill development, and it will repay you on the battlefield. Having an individual with the right skills can get you into previously inaccessible places and quests. Specific characters interacting with various objects in the world of Zoria may lead you to discover hidden treasures or make your travel easier, so explore all the options!
- Base management - You have to be wise in and out of the battle. Players can regularly update the base by unlocking new wings to the buildings, which will reward you with resources, quests, or items.
- Follow missions - In your outpost, you can plan and assign tasks to your companions. Send selected party members on an autonomic mission, in which you won't participate but will receive what they find along the way. Never forget that their lives are in your hands!
It will be available with Native Linux support on GOG and Steam. There's also a demo available.
The reality today is that early access is doing the opposite. Steam presents them like normal releases and most players see them as such, but they give developers an excuse to release even more unfinished titles, and small developers now often abandon half-finished games because they think based on early access sales that finishing the game would not recover the costs.
I think this is largely Valve's fault for presenting early access titles in the store like they do.
Last edited by Julius on 18 April 2023 at 1:38 pm UTC
Just reinforces the stereotype that spiders are bad....
SPIDER LIVES MATTER!!!!
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderWhy do all of these Fantasy RPGs have giant enemy spiders in them???
Just reinforces the stereotype that spiders are bad....
SPIDER LIVES MATTER!!!!
Spiders will be very useful against mosquitoes...
I just don't know if releasing this game THREE WEEKS after Baldurs Gate 3 comes out is a wise idea. I don't have time in my life for two incredibly complex extremely long crpgs at the same time, and I'm 100% playing bg3 (but lets be honest I would play a game made of a leather shoe if it was made by larian) so ........... oof timing.
Quoting: JarmerI have the demo downloaded but haven't gotten around to it. Have any other lovers of crpg's played it / can comment on it?
I just don't know if releasing this game THREE WEEKS after Baldurs Gate 3 comes out is a wise idea. I don't have time in my life for two incredibly complex extremely long crpgs at the same time, and I'm 100% playing bg3 (but lets be honest I would play a game made of a leather shoe if it was made by larian) so ........... oof timing.
1. I have played the demo and I did enjoy it. The game is on my wish list now. I recommend it because it doesn't feel terribly hardcore or punishing, but also not too easy. It has almost a comfortable feel to it. Maybe not exciting or thrilling, but a good time.
2. Yeah, good point about BG3. BG3 is the only guaranteed full-price game I plan to buy this year. I typically buy games as they get older because 1) I have a backlog of games and 2) they'll be less buggy after they're a year old. But BG3 will be an exception. I imagine BG3's story and quests will have so many forks that we'll feel, hmm, a little welcome stress to check them all out, which will draw us back into the game everyday. Zoria is not at that level, which is why I said it was a bit more relaxed.
The proposed release date has passed meanwhile and the website is broken, but at least the developer is still responding to questions on Steam, so I guess that's a good sign...
Last edited by Iggi on 13 November 2023 at 7:58 pm UTC
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