City of Brass is a first-person rogue-lite from the makers of BioShock, Freedom Force coming to PC and consoles
By Stephany Nunneley, Thursday, 6 July 2017 15:11 GMT
Uppercut Games has announced a new game in development for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One titled City of Brass.
City of Brass is a first-person rogue-lite which casts the player as a thief running around an Arabian Nights-themed city filled with treasure, genies, ghouls, traps and procedurally generated quests with permadeath.
That's quite the opposite of Submerged, which Uppercut Games released in 2015. The adventure-exploration game allowed the player to explore the world at-will without the risk of dying.
Armed with a scimitar and whip which can "grab, disarm, stung, shatter, and swing," in City of Brass, players will be tasked with reaching a "fabled treasure at the city's heart" before time runs out.
There will be deadly pits to cross, blades, spears or arrows to dodge and poison gas traps to evade while dealing with supernatural foes. Players will need to move swiftly, and carefully through each procedurally generated level "balancing the need for loot" with the need for escape within the time limit.
"Players must learn how to use the traps to kill their foes, and even turn enemies against each another," said lead designer Ed Orman in the press release. "You'll perish in the City of Brass – often, and quite horribly – but as your skills improve and you discover new ways to cheat death, you'll return to fight another day."
Here's a nice list of features provided by the developer:
Collect treasure to increase your score, plunder chests for weapon and armor upgrades or powerful relics – but make it to the exit in time or face death by dervish…
Incarcerated within the city are genies and most are friendly. Some will barter gear, upgrades, secrets, unlocks or protections in return for loot. Use one of three wishes to unlock a powerful benefit, or for a king's ransom, buy a genie's freedom in return for help in the final battle.
When your sword just isn't enough, get creative: smash your enemies with explosive vases, blind them with a brick to the face, or force them into traps.
The city is filled with wretched spirits of all flavors, all with unique behaviors, all with the singular character defect that they want to kill you.
The algorithms that create each level are tweaked to generate a logically laid out cityscape of interconnected chambers, courtyards and corridors.
The rhythmic interplay of blade and lash has been carefully tuned along with sprinting, crouching, sliding, leaping and vaulting to give a fluid, balanced and natural feel to the movement and melee. Agility is a must.
For the ultimate test, experienced players can encumber themselves with Divine Burdens, global modifiers that change enemy abilities, spawn behaviors or multiply environmental hazards.
No two playthroughs are ever the same: play, die, and play again, each time using what you've learned to get further.
Along with the quick look at gameplay above, you can check out the cinematic trailer through the studio's YouTube channel.
City of Brass will be released for PC on Steam this fall and will follow on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2018.