Curious Panda Games’ The Iron Oath is a turn-based tactical RPG set in a dark fantasy world. Recruit and manage a roster of adventurers across decades and centuries, and send them on missions where they must confront their mortality. Every decision made carries weight and can have a minor or major influence on the world around you. As you and your guild progress, the world changes dynamically, opening up new paths to follow and resulting in a unique experience for every playthrough.
In the first age humanity was young and vulnerable. Then came the Gods, who shared their wisdom and knowledge. The Gods shielded humanity from the threat of the Blighted, and they grew into prosperity.
However as time passed, so too did the Gods. They were replaced by a great being of darkness; one that brought only death and disease to the land. Those afflicted by its blight lost their minds, their bodies and their souls as they slowly became abominations of the flesh and outcasts to society.
Yet in the wake of this tragedy heroes began to emerge, taking up the mantle left vacant by the gods. They defended the realm with their lives for centuries, but eventually they too would fade. So humanity endures, waiting for new heroes to rise up that can perhaps put an end to the suffering that has plagued them for so very long.
Features:
- Tactical turn-based combat: Deadly foes, traps and destructible objects means one misstep could be your party’s undoing. Proper planning and execution is vital to your success.
- A large and dynamic overworld: Cities can be overtaken, destroyed and rebuilt; while various factions can emerge, rise and fall. A playthrough can potentially last hundreds of years, resulting in many changes to the initial world state.
- In-depth guild management: Control your guild’s finances, resources, alliances and roster. Your characters will age, retire and frequently die in combat, so you will need to recruit and train their replacements.
- Character development: Every recruitable character has their own personal backstory, incorporating events that have taken place during your playthrough. Their motives, alignment and traits all stem from this, but each of the three is subject to change as their career progresses.
- Dynamic dialogue: Characters will converse over a variety of subjects such as the current state of the world or relevant past experiences, along with offering their input on any decisions you face.
- Decisions matter: Your choices bear consequences and they can affect your characters, your guild and the many factions that exist throughout the world.
There are two main aspects of gameplay in The Iron Oath: the Mission phase & the Overworld phase. Missions focus on combat and exploration, while the Overworld deals with managing your guild’s affairs and travelling.
The turn-based combat occurs on a hex grid; its size and shape varies depending on the environment, and can be further altered by various destructible objects, traps & abilities. You might find that certain party compositions fare better in confined quarters with choke points, while others excel in wide-open areas. Resource management is paramount during missions.
Much like combat, exploration has a heavy emphasis on resource management and decision-making. Whenever there is a choice to be made, your characters will offer their opinion on what they believe is the correct course of action. Heeding their advice is generally wise, but they will not always agree with one another and ultimately you will have the final say. When dungeons are long enough you will be given the opportunity to set up camp. Doing so allows your party to rest and recover their HP, Spirit and possibly remove any negative traits they have acquired.
The overworld is comprised of 9 unique regions with over 50 cities and towns for you to visit. The map begins the same for every playthrough, but as time passes, world events and the choices you make will dynamically change the economy and political makeup of it. There are a variety of events that can occur in the world, triggering outcomes such as wars, the destruction of cities, or even the complete collapse of a once powerful faction. All of these events and their outcomes shape what storylines and missions are made available to you.
The decisions you make on your journey can also have a profound influence on the world and your guild. You may choose to spare a powerful sorcerer who bargains for his life, only to see him spawn a large faction of undead that begins to threaten or overtake the region. There are a number of encounters you will face while in the overworld, and you will need to consider your choices and their consequences carefully.
The Iron Oath is scheduled for release sometime during 2020 via Steam (where it can be added to your Wishlist) for PC, Mac and Linux, with DRM-free versions available through The Humble Store. Visit The Iron Oath‘s website for further information and to join the mailing list for ongoing updates.