Alright, so listen. There’s this game, Empyreal, dropping on the Xbox Series X|S. Mark your calendars for May 8. The folks at Silent Games are kind of buzzing right now. They’ve put years into this thing, and now the world finally gets to, well, jump in. Funny how after all that time, it probably feels more like sending a kid off to college or something.
Empyreal’s this action RPG set in a brand-new universe. No biggie, just casually landing on this deserted planet to help out some expedition types who’ve stumbled on this massive Monolith, built by who-knows-what ancient civilization. These folks think they’re onto something big. Universe-changing big. But, of course, they need you to play hero and crack open those secrets.
So here’s the scoop: this week, they dropped a “Character Trailer” showing off the cast of Empyreal—because let’s be real, it’s the characters that make or break an RPG, right? Apparently, their stories can twist and turn like a plot from one of those binge-worthy TV shows.
Originally, they had this system where “Story Characters” were the VIPs and “Vendor NPCs” were…not. Just tool shopkeepers or whatever. But turns out, the characters’ questlines were too juicy to sideline, so boom—all VIPs now. Which, you gotta admit, makes the whole game world feel a lot richer.
Each of these characters has their quirks. Some might hit you with tasks right away, others might just roll their eyes at you until you earn their respect. There’s a whole range of missions with life-altering consequences, depending on your actions. Like, one moment someone’s your buddy, next thing you know they might be trying to take you down as a boss fight. Talk about drama.
Also, fun tidbit: these folks get more chatty after a drink. There are eight different alcohols to hunt down, each character having their own favorite. Which is…weirdly specific, but hey, I guess it’s a way to get them to chill and spill their secrets.
The game really pushes the envelope on making your choices matter. Depending on what you do, characters’ fates can go every which way. Just one ending? Nah, they want your decisions to pack a punch. And if you’re itching to see every possible outcome, well, that’s what New Game+ is for. Keeps the game fresh every run.
There’s oodles of stuff tied to philosophy and history too. So maybe you’ll end up looking up tidbits inspired by real-life concepts. Sprinkled with themes that make you go “huh, interesting.”
Honestly, they’re going all out on this one. Excited for you to meet these digital folks and poke around this universe. Empyreal’s nearly here, and it’s about to get real.
