Underworld Ascendant arrives on Kickstarter

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Do you remember Ultima Underworld? It originally launched in 1992 and moved the boundaries of fantasy RPGs. It introduced the concept of 3D immersion, a player-authored experience, and a richly dynamic world to explore. There are many games and franchises that credit Ultima Underworld as having an influence on their development, for example: Thief, Deus Ex, BioShock, Skyrim, and Dragon Age, to name just a few.

Underworld has lain dormant for two decades, but now the original creators have decided to unleash the franchise once more with Underworld Ascendant. The Kickstarter campaign began today and it’s already gaining momentum, obtaining over $130k of its $600k goal.

OtherSide Entertainment hope to redefine the genre with Underworld Ascendant as it did with its predecessor. It wants to go back to basics, re-claim some of the classic RPG traits, as well as push the boundaries of RPGs and try out new ideas. Will it be successful? I sure hope so!

We’re bringing back the classic single-player, immersive underworld adventuring that made the original great. But we’re also innovating. We’re pushing forward with our new Improvisation Engine; going deeper than any other game in creating a living, breathing world fantasy world hidden beneath the earth; trying out a new approach to co-op play with a friend, and more. The team here at OtherSide has set itself the lofty goal redefining the fantasy RPG for this generation of gamers, much as we did for the last generation.

Underworld Ascendant will be the next-generation sequel to the legendary Ultima Underworld and Ultima Underworld 2. It will do more than simply modernise the series’ visuals and user interface, as OtherSide Entertainment hopes that the game will be innovative in “bold new ways“.

As a player who enjoys games that offer the freedom of choice, such as in Dragon Age, one of the most appealing features of Underworld Ascendant is the Improvisation Engine. For me this feature is reminiscent of the Dungeons & Dragons game books, where you can use what you are carrying to progress past certain obstacles or events. For example, a player coming to a subterranean river guarded by deadly lurker will have to decide what is the best way to cross. Attempting to swim across would end in a watery grave for the adventurer, however, tossing rotworm downstream to distract lurker would work, or charming a giant cave spider to carry you over would work too. The Improvisation Engine will encourage players to experiment with what they have at their disposal, prompting you to create new techniques to help you in your adventures.

Underworld Ascendant will be home to a vast fantasy realm; players will be able to explore and plunder ancient temples, navigate subterranean rivers, visit dwarven halls, dare to journey through enchanted forests of giant mushrooms, and more. The game will also contain bustling underground societies, featuring a host of different races and cultures, such as dwarf frontiersmen, dark elf renegades, and strange-looking shamblers. These three factions struggle to overcome one another; it’s up to you to decide who to align yourself with, and who you choose to destroy.

Another really interesting feature is that players will be able to alter the environment to their own advantage. For example, you can flood an arid plain to help the damp-loving shamblers and thus gain their favour. However, all of the changes you make will have consequences that will affect the game’s reactive ever-changing environment, so choose wisely.

Players will take on the role of The Avatar, “a human newly arrived from our earth through a mystical Rune Gate“. There are Rune Gates that connect to other worlds as well, including the lands of the Shroud of the Avatar. You’ll be able to meet a host of characters, each will have their own motivations, but it’s up to you to see if you can enlist them to your cause, or whether they’ll get away with manipulating you.
The game will feature first-person combat that is fluid and dynamic, players will have to use the environment to their advantage and tackle battles where timing is everything. Magical runes can be used to increase your power, or even combined to have a greater effect. Depending on which faction you align with will determine what kind of powerful weapons and armour you can obtain; elves can grant enchanted weaponry, whereas dwarves are master craftsmen of plate mail.
Players will be able to craft their own character class, stepping away from the rigid staples of normal RPGs, Underworld Ascendant will allow you to create your own kind of adventurer. Although you begin as either a Fighter, Mage, or Thief, you can customise your Avatar as you wish. If you want to be a mage that can stealth, then you can mix and match the abilities that you want. Joining certain factions can gain you special perks, such as abilities that will improve your abilities to alter the environment, traverse obstacles, or craft traps.
Of course, there is a whole heap of stretch goals that will expand and add to the Underworld Ascendant experience. To find out more information about Underworld Ascendant and to support the game, head on over to its Kickstarter page. In the mean time, check out the trailer just below:

SOURCE: Kickstarter

Editor at Geeks Don't Lie
Meg appreciates gaming on all formats, but primarily spends her time achievement hunting to the extreme. Her passion for gaming began as a child, when first introduced to the Amstrad. A collector of gaming consoles past and present, Meg spends as much of her time rediscovering old classics as she does playing the latest releases.
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