Summary
It’s been almost a decade since fans received a new mainlineWitchergame from CD Projekt Red, and the wait has been agonizing for so many. Though some truly excellentfantasy RPGs have released sinceThe Witcher 3in 2015, few have managed to deliver such an immersive open-world experience or such a compelling story.
Thankfully, CD Projekt Red has plenty ofWitcherprojects currently in the works. From a remake of the firstWitchergame to a co-op multiplayer title to the long-awaited sequel toThe Witcher 3, fans will soon have moreWitchergames than they know what to do with. But the wait is far from over. With each of theseWitcherprojects currently being in various stages of pre-production, it’ll likely be a good few years before fans finally get to experience them. In the meantime,Witcherfans might have to make do with some smaller-scale fantasy RPG experiences, andThe Skyland Chroniclescould be a solid option.
The Skyland Chronicles Could Be a Fun Stop-Gap Before The Witcher 4
The Skyland Chronicles' Setting Shares Some Similarities with The Witcher
Set for an early access release on Steam,The Skyland Chroniclesis an open-world fantasy RPGs that seemingly takes quite a bit of influence fromThe Witcherfranchise, and nowhere is that more evident than in its general premise. Set in this universe’s 18th century,The Skyland Chroniclessees players take control of Franco, an orphan who was raised to become a fierce warrior and pirate. Eventually, Franco’s adventure on the high seas takes him to The Skyland, a mysterious fantasy realm where gnomes, elves, dwarfs, and humans coexist. However, things are far from peaceful.
Much likeThe Witcher’s own fantasy world,The Skyland Chronicles' titular realm is filled with violence, tyranny, and greed. While wealthy monarchs rule the land poorly, a growing gang of rebels attempts to dethrone them and take the land back for themselves, a conflict that Franco ends up being thrust right into the middle of. Along the way, Franco will encounter different royal families, join forces with the rebels, and increase his public standing in any way he can, exploiting the chaotic world for his own personal gain.
The Skyland Chroniclesis being worked on by MFA Games, a very small team that currently consists of less than 10 members. Naturally,The Skyland Chroniclesprobably won’t be on the same scale as something likeThe Witcher 3.
According toThe Skyland Chronicles' Steam page, the game will alsoborrow elements from Slavic folklore, specifically concerning its monster designs. This has always been a strong selling-point forThe Witcherfranchise, and it could be interesting to see how a new team of developers interprets these unique folklore inspirations.
The Skyland Chronicles' Gameplay Might Also Be Familiar to Witcher Fans
Though developer MFA Games hasn’t revealed much aboutThe Skyland Chronicles' gameplay, it does seem to be an open-world third-person action-adventure game, at least based on the screenshot posted on the game’s Steam page. It also seems likeThe Skyland Chronicles' gameplay will have players hacking away at fantasy foes and monsters with a sword, firing a bow, and using an array of elemental magic abilities such as fire, ice, and poison. While hunting monsters seems to be the primary activity players will engage in,The Skyland Chronicles' Steam pagementions side activities such as dice games, while also teasing some kind of narrative choice system, where players are given a moral decision that affects story and gameplay.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
WHERE TO PLAY
You are Geralt of Rivia, mercenary monster slayer. Before you stands a war-torn, monster-infested continent you can explore at will. Your current contract? Tracking down Ciri — the Child of Prophecy, a living weapon that can alter the shape of the world.PLAY AS A HIGHLY TRAINED MONSTER SLAYER FOR HIRETrained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.Gruesomely destroy foes as a professional monster hunter armed with a range of upgradeable weapons, mutating potions, and combat magic. Hunt down a wide variety of exotic monsters, from savage beasts prowling mountain passes to cunning supernatural predators lurking in the shadowy back alleys of densely populated cities. Invest your rewards to upgrade your weaponry and buy custom armor, or spend them on horse races, card games, fist fighting, and other pleasures life brings.EXPLORE A MORALLY AMBIGUOUS FANTASY OPEN WORLDBuilt for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity. Traverse a fantastical open world: explore forgotten ruins, caves, and shipwrecks, trade with merchants and dwarven smiths in cities, and hunt across the open plains, mountains, and seas. Deal with treasonous generals, devious witches, and corrupt royalty to provide dark and dangerous services. Make choices that go beyond good & evil, and face their far-reaching consequences.
