Mortal Crux, an upcoming action RPG, aims to evoke the desert atmosphere of Northern European fantasy environments such as those in The Witcher or the Nordic adventures of Elder Scrolls, Skyrim and Bloodmoon. The game is designed for solo and co-op play for up to four players who share a seamless world through an isometric perspective similar to Diablo or Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, but with distinct combat mechanics inspired by the Souls series.
Solo developer Jesse Walker said for PC Gamer last year that he wants to make exploring the world a fluid and satisfying experience. Much of the development is devoted to reducing load times and keeping exploration fluid: “I love open-world games, so I'm focusing on using as little loading screens or interruptions during gameplay as possible. Designing sophisticated data streaming methods has been the biggest part of development time so far.”
The results of these efforts are already visible in the gameplay trailers shared by the developer. The quick transitions between the overworld and fixed-camera interiors are obvious, and when a character enters a building, Mortal Crux switches to a perspective reminiscent of classic games like Resident Evil or JRPGs from the PS1 era. The stealth elements won't be solely as preparation for combat, as Mortal Crux's system is almost entirely based on sound and line of sight. It won't be like the Elder Scrolls where enemies can spot you from a long distance away, but you can literally walk past people without them noticing.
In a similar vein, the latest trailer, presented during PC Gaming Show, also shows off the new Mesmerize magic, which can seduce even mountain trolls with its beautiful lights, similar to the Hypnotic Pattern spell from Baldur's Gate 3, but with a special animation. Walker is also working on expanding the alternatives to direct combat in the game, and while a completely pacifist approach to Mortal Crux isn't in the cards, the developer wants to provide players with deeper gameplay tools.
Mortal Crux is due out next year for PC via Steam.
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