Age of Darkness is a builder and survival game created by PlaySide, a Melbourne development studio. The survival RTS game is a unique release from PlaySide Studio that focuses more on PvE than PvP. Age of Darkness will see gamers take on a dismaying threat blanketed in a terrifying fog.
In the game, the enemies attack in multitudes while concealed by the fog. Age of Darkness can show 70,000 AI units on the PC screen at any given time. The players’ main aim is to do everything possible to hold off the threat. They are also tasked with building defenses and enlarging their territory. According to James Berkelmans, one of the game’s designers, the idea was inspired by ‘the long night,’ an episode from the drama series Game of Thrones.
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Age of Darkness heavily embraces horror and dark fantasy themes, as is often the case with survival games. The game works with the concept of day and night whereby, during the day, players have to build their fortifications and seek valuable resources in the wilderness. However, once night falls, the enemy arrives cloaked in ‘The Veil,’ an unnerving murder fog. Players should be behind their fortifications during ‘death nights’ since the enemy becomes relentless and strong once this period comes, making survival difficult.
According to Mario Barone, another Age of Darkness game designer, the whole system gives them the flexibility to develop amazing gaming moments. He goes on to mention that the number of units the games’ engine can allow is remarkable, and to make the game even more exciting, they can maintain the number of AI units with multiple 3D effects hence creating an increasingly complex world.
At first, Age of Darkness will only have survival mode. However, while pre-releasing the roadmap, more features will be added, including a campaign. Winning survival is possible since all a player has to do is get through the final death knight. According to PlaySide Studios, they envision a game that is rewarding from the turtle all the way to the crusader.
Age of Darkness will be drawing inspiration from various genres as well. Furthermore, to make the game even more ambitious, the team integrates rogue-like elements and plenty of light RPG. Berkelmans states that they believe players want a challenging game that will test their skills. That is why the game provides elements such as difficult to climb steeps, procedurally generated maps, and elevated skill ceilings.
On the other hand, Barone explains that players also want overwhelming dread, which the game perfectly triggers. According to sources, the PC version of Age of Darkness: Final Stand will come out this Autumn via Steam Early Access, a platform that allows players to discover, play, and involve themselves with entertaining games that continuously evolve.
