Everything Announced in Daedalic's Pre-Show at the Future Games Show

25 Mar 2021
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Since 2007, Daedalic Entertainment has focused on delivering narratively compelling, high-quality games for players. Based in Germany, their titles have reached an international audience, introducing players worldwide to The Deponia Series, Edna & Harvey, The Dark Eye: Memoria, Blackguards, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth, and more.

Revealed today in the Daedalic Pre-Show at the Future Games Show, the publisher and developer showcased their lineup of upcoming games featuring a broad variety of experiences for players to dive into. Whether you’re looking for a deeper glimpse into the world of middle-Earth in The Lord of the Rings: Gollum or for the next new chaotic party game to play with your friends in the form of Fling to the Finish, Daedalic’s upcoming titles promise innovation and unique stories soon to be told.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is undoubtedly one of Daedalic’s most anticipated upcoming titles. With an expected release of 2022 on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC, the game is aiming to remain faithful to J.R.R. Tolkein’s writing while presenting a new, complex look into the iconic character of Gollum. 

Featuring several difficulties of stealth based gameplay and a progression of intricate maps to explore, players will be put to the test to climb, sneak, and trick their way into making a successful escape as they explore the many ways to progress through the levels. 

Even Gollum himself can become an obstacle for players to overcome. Notoriously battling his own split personalities, players will be able to influence the voices of Smeagol and Gollum warring within the protagonist. However, decisions to encourage one voice or the other may not always be as clear cut as they appear. After all, while Gollum may be despicable in many ways, his evolution came about for a reason and his skills in regards to survival are unquestionable.

The game’s story will focus on the titular character’s escape from imprisonment after being captured by Sauron, an event that occurred prior to The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The levels will encompass a diverse view of the world, beginning in the prisons beneath Barad-dûr and eventually ranging into the familiar lands beyond Sauron’s domain. Pivotal characters from the trilogy are expected to make an appearance.

Hidden Deep

Hidden Deep is a new 2D atmospheric sci-fi action and exploration thriller inspired by Alien and Half-Life. Developed by a one man indie studio Cogwheel Software and produced by Daedalic Entertainment, the game will open for early access in 2021 with new game modes and campaign missions being added as the game develops. Hidden Deep will be available for PC and later for Mac and Linux, with ports to Switch and Xbox being a possibility in the future.

Players will venture deep beneath the ocean floor to investigate a mysterious facility of unknown origins. Throughout the game, you’ll command your own expeditionary team while working to uncover the truth behind the disappearances of the researchers stationed there before you.

The game is expected to take roughly 20 hours to complete in story mode over the course of 50 levels with adjustable difficulties. Each level will generally allow players to switch between members of their four man team at will (with a few story relevant exceptions) while they operate machinery, fight off enemies assaulting the squad and employ various tools to uncover hidden pathways or clear obstacles. Local lan & internet co-op modes are still in early stages of development, but are planned for players to be able to explore the dangerous facility together in the future.

Glitchpunk

Glitchpunk promises high-octane action, explosive shootouts, and a strong cyberpunk aesthetic heavily influenced by Grand Theft Auto 2. Developed by Dark Lord and produced by Daedelic Entertainment, the game will be available for early access in 2021 on PC. 

Unlike Cyberpunk 2077, the game itself will begin by featuring two different cities, with the team aiming to add more as development progresses. Players will step into the shoes of a robotic AI protagonist with a glitch that allows you to behave autonomously. Featuring a robust, upgradable hacking system as well as ability modules to customize your build, the top down playstyle will allow players freedom to run wild in the vein of the Grand Theft games. 

In a world in which global climate change, nuclear tensions, and AI development have already had devastating effects, characters will experience a story where the narrative is more than an excuse for action. Your choices carry consequences and which factions you choose to support will directly affect the world on a larger scale.

Inkulinati

Inkulinati delivers a wholly unique fusion of medieval artistic memery and satisfying strategic gameplay. Developed by Yaza Games, Inkulinati is expected to release in the latter half of 2021 on PC with console releases planned in the future. Become a master of the ink as you bring illuminated manuscripts to life in both a singleplayer campaign and multiplayer mode that tests your skills while revealing the real-world humor of historical artists. 

Players will build their army by learning how to draw new beasts and collect units as they progress through the game. These units feature their own character skill progression and encompass everything from sword wielding rabbits to great historical figures such as Hildegard von Bingen, Saint Francis, and Dante Alighieri. Knock your opponents from the platforms, use a trumpet lodged in a behind to attack them or lightly set them on fire, all while writing a new history upon the pages of manuscript battlegrounds.

The developers worked with the medievalist behind Discarding Images to faithfully recreate historical imagery ranging from the 11th to 14th centuries. Many of the mechanics and abilities possessed by different units are a direct reflection of the theorized original significance of the drawings contained within the margins of actual illuminated manuscripts. The world of Inkulinati is visually clever, but also provides players with an enjoyable, memorable and inspiration-rich gameplay experience.

Life of Delta

If the film Wall-E both warmed your heart and captured your imagination through its hopeful envisioning of a post-apocalyptic future, Life of Delta is sure to do the same. Coming in early 2022 to PC and consoles, the point and click adventure is currently able to be wishlisted on Steam.

After the Great War, two predominant forms of life rose amidst the nuclear fallout to replace humanity: the robots and the lizardmen. The game itself follows an endearing robot protagonist named Delta, who was rescued from decommission by a fellow robot named Joe. Displeased with Joe’s rebellion against the lizardmen regime, Joe is apprehended by their forces as a result and players pick up the narrative while Delta sets out to search for him.

Players will be able to investigate rich, detailed environments while they collect items, talk to memorable characters, and solve puzzles in the form of mini-games that allow them to progress further in the story. While the narrative is planned to be largely linear, there will be plenty for players to discover in their journey with the game currently spanning 26 levels. The unique art style is sure to charm and the team’s eclectic envisioning of the future looks to deliver a heartwarming story that’s well worth experiencing.

Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice

Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice is releasing just in time for the original Shadow Tactics’ five year anniversary. This standalone expansion coming to PC in late 2021 aims to tell a more personal story within the rich narrative of the Shadow Tactics universe by honing in on one of the major characters: Aiko.

Set in the early Edo period of Japan, the expansion will feature three missions with entirely new accompanying environments and maps for players to test their real-time tactical stealth skills. Additional interlude missions will allow players to dive more deeply into the characters they know and love while learning about Aiko’s past.

The kunoichi wielding master of disguise sets out with her friends, a group of deadly assassins, to track down the ghosts that haunt her. Distraction, poison, traps and more will all play a role in enacting your own ingenious tactics to complete these challenging missions. New and old fans alike looking to experience the polished combat of the original game will find the expansion gives it a fresh context while delivering rewarding characterization.

Fling to the Finish

The recent surge in popularity of games such as Fall Guys and Among Us have given players the chance to laugh together even miles apart, all whilst working together or against their friends and family. Joining this growing lineup of chaotic party games is the upcoming title Fling to the Finish by developers SplitSide Games. The title is coming in 2021 to PC with additional talk of being available on Nintendo Switch.

At its heart, Fling to the Finish is a cooperative racing game where teammates are tied together much like in a three legged race. Only in this challenge, you’re bound by an elastic line to one other person who can jointly aid you to overcome challenging courses, delay or sabotage your opponents and fling your way to the finish line.

The developers describe the experience as ‘equal parts insanity and joy’, which seem to be more than accurate from the initial footage. Additional player characters as well as skins can be unlocked entirely through the campaign mode, offering players additional customization for their avatars. Currently, the game sports 6 different modes and is aiming to have online and local multiplayer. Steam integration will also allow players to see their leaderboards and compare their skills with their friends.


Images Courtesy of Daedalic Entertainment.