Element: Space is going to be the kind of game that we don't get to see all that often anymore. Think Baldur's Gate, think Fallout 2 - or for the most recent example - Torment: Tides of Numenera. Developer Sixth Vowel's first game is set to deliver a heavily narrative-driven title with the gameplay mechanics of a turn-based RPG. What this means, in practice, is that it's time to get nostalgic.
Marketed as a game where players will "forge alliances and uncover an interstellar conspiracy", Element: Space is getting released pretty soon, in Q4 of 2018, meaning that it's about time for the publisher and developer to start tooting their horn about it.
"We love classic narrative-driven games and turn-based strategy, but we're also mixing in the things we always wanted to see in the genre," said the developers' spokesperson. With this game, they hope to refine turn-based tactical combat on classic, hand-crafted levels, as well as deliver a story of galactic proportions that would evolve as players go along making decisions.
As such, the feature list is considerably impressive. In Element: Space, players can expect 24 unique missions, where only eight of those will ever be accessible in any given playthrough. It will take about 12-15 hours to finish a single playthrough, but the main draw of this game will lie in its supposed replayability. In short, the story will change according to what and how the players act. There will be 8 different faction worlds to explore non-linearly, each representing a different culture relevant to the main quest.
Similarly, players will get to choose a party of five from a selection of eight potential companions for the duration of any single playthrough. Each is said to differ considerably from one another, making them more interesting than simple cannon fodder. Of course, there's also a wide variety of weapons, skills and the like that is promised to make open combat a real joy to experience, as well.
Stay tuned for more information on Element: Space right here at Game Watcher, as always.
