The Hand of Merlin - Turn-Based Arthurian RPG

The Hand of Merlin is a turn-based Arthurian RPG aiming for late 2019.

About This Game

There are as many worlds as there are stars in the sky. In each stands Camelot; in each there is a Grail. But there is only one Merlin, and his eternal burden is to stand against the horror from beyond. Each world that is saved is saved forever; each world that is lost is lost for good.

The Hand of Merlin is a turn-based rogue-lite RPG in which Arthurian legend clashes with cosmic horror. Recruit a company of up to four mortal heroes and guide them in spirit on a desperate journey from Albion to Jerusalem. Explore a richly-imagined medieval setting on the brink of apocalypse. Trade with merchants, improve your heroes, and unearth ancient relics. Search for the lost fragments of your soul, scattered across the multiverse - and save as many worlds as you can.

KEY FEATURES:

A Roguelike Experience

Carve a path across the lands of Albion, Marca Hispanica and Al-Andalus. Will you take a dangerous route, risking life and limb in pursuit of a legendary relic? Or will you choose a safer path? Plan and prepare. Negotiate, barter, fight. Tackle challenges. Suffer losses. Recruit new Heroes. Earn Gold, Supplies and Renown. Be careful: your choices are permanent, as is death. But don't tarry - evil never rests.

Tactical Turn-Based Combat

Master the tactics of squad-based and turn-based combat to conquer both human and demonic foes. Your enemies will be tough and ruthless; make use of high ground and cover, set up ambushes and coordinated attacks, harness synergies between different Hero classes and skills.

Non-Linear Narrative

Enjoy a compelling story inspired by Arthurian legend, the Matter of France, and the history of Al-Andalus - with an unusual twist. Make choices in interactive encounters that change every time you play. Written by Jonas Kyratzes (The Talos Principle, Serious Sam 4) and Verena Kyratzes (The Lands of Dream, Serious Sam 4).

Dynamic Leveling

Use Renown to level up your Heroes, and choose between a randomized set of new skills or improved attributes. But choose wisely! Select skills with great synergy and balance your party for the road ahead.

Equipment Upgrades

Seek out towns to improve your arms and armor, or stumble upon hermit artisans in the wild. With every day that passes, the world plunges deeper into darkness, and you will need all the equipment gold can buy.

Relics

From a peasant's humble luck charm to the legendary sword wielded by Arthur himself, items imbued with magical power are scattered about the world. Some you will be able to purchase from merchants and collectors, but others will have to be earned through acts of heroism - or displays of wit.

Spells

Rain thunder and brimstone upon your foes! Seek out and gather Soulstones to restore your power and unlock new Spells. Even if defeated, your spirit will retain all of your collected arcane knowledge as you jump into the next dimension.

Alternate Dimensions

As you jump from one parallel dimension to the next, history is reshaped. Different kings rule the land, changing the encounters, characters, and events. No two worlds are ever quite the same, and each journey will be unique. And should your heroes fall, remember: defeat is not the end, only a new beginning.

More information.

I'm a huge fan of Arthurian legends and turn-based isometrics, but I'm weary about the roguelite part. I don't like wasting time on randomized game soup.

Originally Posted by Silver Coin
I'm a huge fan of Arthurian legends and turn-based isometrics, but I'm weary about the roguelite part. I don't like wasting time on randomized game soup.

exactly, my concern too. Looks promising tho

Originally Posted by Silver Coin
I'm a huge fan of Arthurian legends and turn-based isometrics, but I'm weary about the roguelite part. I don't like wasting time on randomized game soup.

Certainly one to watch out for, but I to cringe at roguelite.

The alpha footage gameplay video on Steam looks potentially interesting, but the permadeath roguelite stuff means it isn't for me.

Look on the bright side guys….

https://store.steampowered.com/app/858100/Grimshade/

I don't mind the rougelike aspect IF they have enough events to make it interesting AND it is well done. This reminds me a little of king arthur role playing game (i know that game was closer to total-wars and this is closer to battle brothers).

Originally Posted by Silver Coin
Look on the bright side guys….

https://store.steampowered.com/app/858100/Grimshade/

That game looks like junk. They have a talented painter, but that's all about it. Their coder sucks, because their engine is slow. It should be super fast in this fast CPU / GPU age. Their combat animations suck - engine lag makes this worse. GUI looks like was designed by a newbie, who might become a real UI-artist in 5 years..

Too soon to judge a pre-alpha game, but I'm pleased with the concept and visuals.

The music is also incredible: https://soundcloud.com/grimshadegame…/grimshade-ost

+ "Ancient Artifacts"-screen looks okay, that was done properly. But then:

Oh, man. Portraying a weak old man as a protagonist, whose joints are creaking and may need viagra to become potent again eh not an attractive idea for a turn based game. The hero should either be a charming cutie or a strong hero, who has the balls to take on an adventure of this size. If you wanna sell this friggin' game that is..

On the first frames of the video the game looks hopeful. Then as more parts are shown, bad design choices become more apparent:
- ugly spell effects, that obviously were designed to annoy the eye.
- Free movement space highlighted on the Battlescape is skewed in a weird fckn way?
- Random leveling system? No thanks.
- Armor equipment screen is obviously a placeholder.
- Stupid orange red coloring highlights in battle = don't do that!
- See that sickly sewer-yellow move space highlight outline right after that? NO.
- A Lightning bolt is not grey, dear developers, its BRIGHT BLUE WHITE!!
- Also that last screen "Coming to Steam" in the video, fits an industrial FPS game perfectly.
- Unfinished, mixed up art direction. Artists coming from an FPS game that had totally different color style and now they are trying to redo an FPS design in a fantasy game??? WTF

Hm, I have no problems with rouglikes, but time limits on the other hand …

I have a problem with the alternate dimensions and gathering soulstones to get back your soul. Boring, can't we just have a gritty King Arthur game?

I like what I'm reading here, looks like a strong tactical game, and dimension-hopping can be a blast if done correctly.

Rogue-like… pass.

I think it sounds and looks pretty interesting. Wishlisted because I'll forget about it long before release otherwise.

I'm tired of roguelikes and am starting to dislike them as much as MMOs, or loot boxes, or respawning enemies (not that they all necessarily have anything in common, beyond the fact, well, I don't like them).

Clearly lots of people like them these days but I just don't like adding mechanics to games that make me feel like I'm being punished or having choices taken away.

Oh, well, thankfully there are a lot of other games to play (though I would love a good King Arthur-inspired game).

There's another RPG in development based on Arthurian legend / Matter of Britain.. and it also has roguelike elements. Graal Seeker.

They did meet their goal, by the way. I think they still have maybe three days left before the campaign officially closes.

Campaign ????

Originally Posted by Carnifex
They did meet their goal, by the way. I think they still have maybe three days left before the campaign officially closes.

Indeed. A campaign to raise the funds for their project. Although I think I posted in the wrong section, as I meant to remark on the Grimshade project, lol.