At some point in your life, you most likely wished you could ride a big bird and fly away. The Falconeer seems custom-designed to kindle that feeling and make it true in a 3D fantasy world. Developer Little Chicken Game Company and publisher Wired Productions announced today that the game will launch at some point in 2020. You may have already seen this early gameplay test video of The Falconeer last December. I’d say it’s a better demonstration of what the game should play like, even if it’s a bit outdated by now. The new teaser trailer below is more atmospheric than illustrative of gameplay, but it’s still pretty to look at.
The Falconeer is an aerial combat RPG, possibly the first of its kind. It takes place in a fantasy world covered in a massive ocean with just a few islets here and there. The gameplay aims to combine classic dogfighting mechanics and acrobatic twists to render an open environment that looks awe-inspiring. It features a diverse bestiary of fantastic enemies on land, sea, and air.
The Great Ursee is the name of this world. There, you’ll play as a Falconeer, riding your armed aerial raptor bird in third-person. Your bird carries devastating ranged weaponry for aerial combat with warmongering rival factions. The world of the Great Ursee is bleak and yet hauntingly beautiful, full of marvelous locations and unfathomable depths.
A magical world
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons had a very unique take on fantasy, from what I recall. It had trolls and giants, but it was more of a fairy tale fantasy than a traditional game fantasy. There’s one particular level in Brothers, though, where the two boys pass through a valley full corpses of giants in the aftermath of a battle. Giant crossbows and swords lay about. It’s an unsettling level, but it felt unique. While we’ve only seen some glimpses of The Falconeer in this new teaser trailer and the gameplay test video below, it does remind me of that style of fantasy.
It’s simply a more interesting and more mature take on the genre, as many of us are bored to death of the usual tropes. Orcs and elves, mages and warriors… it all just feels stale. Tomas Sala, the developer of The Falconeer, seems to understand this, and he’s on record talking about what he hopes to accomplish with The Falconeer. “Building worlds is my passion, creating epic landscapes and hidden stories within… just waiting to be found. I want future Falconeers to fight for the Ursee world I’m creating, to risk everything in breathtaking battles to understand its secrets.”
The Falconeer‘s gameplay
I hope the developer shows more of the gameplay soon. The aerial combat does look like it could be fun, but it should be more than a cat and mouse game. More intricate mechanics rather than just circling the enemy and shooting it with ranged weapons would be nice. Flying and gliding look smooth and relaxing, though.
The Falconeer has only been confirmed for release on PC so far, and it will release at some point in 2020. You can find more information about it on the official website, and you can follow the game on Twitter and Facebook.
What do you think of The Falconeer? Do you like this kind of fantasy? Leave your comments below!
Published: Aug 14, 2019 09:30 pm