This is Niche Spotlight. In this column, we regularly introduce new games to our fans, so please leave feedback and let us know if there’s a game you want us to cover!
Today’s Spotlight is Alder’s Blood, a turn-based strategy game with stealth elements by Shockwork Games and No Gravity Games.
Alder’s Blood is set in a grim, Victorian horror world where god is dead, and his rotting corpse has given birth to horrific monsters that terrorize the outskirts of civilization. You control a group of Hunters, professional monster slayers that use the dark arts to banish their otherworldly foes.
These same magics also gradually corrupt the Hunters over time, and when the corruption spreads too far, the Hunter must be ritualistically sacrificed.
Roam across the world protecting border towns, recruiting new Hunters, accepting contracts, and trying to find a way to permanently banish the monsters from the mortal realm.
You can find the launch trailer below.
If you missed it, you can find our hands-on preview of Alder’s Blood here. There is also a free demo available across all platforms.
Alder’s Blood is available on the Nintendo Switch for $19.99, and will be coming to Windows PC (via GOG, and Steam) on April 10th. PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions are due later this year. A free prologue is available now on GOG, Newgrounds, and Steam.
You can find a rundown of the game (via Steam) below:
FEATURES
- Twisted, Lovecraftian atmosphere
- Complex tactical combat
- Rich lore and RPG mechanics
- Diverse crafting: weapons, charms, equipment and consumables
- Squad-based strategy
- Over 70 missions
- Clan management
- Over 10h of main-story gameplay
- Over 40h including side-quests
- Massive world to explore
- Unique mechanic: odor and scent
SUMMARY
▏ God is dead, and it was us – who killed him.
Without God – the world became twisted and has fallen into chaos. Malevolent essense bleeding from his dead carcass, gives birth to inhuman abominations that roam the land – hunting and devouring anything human.〞
▏ But the God’s death has also sprouted new kind of life: The Hunters.
They look like humans, but they are not. They are so much less, and so much more. The meaning of their life is to vanquish the ever growing Darkness and to protect humanity – at all cost.
▏ Each clan of Hunters has their Chief. You play as one of them. As the Chief – you manage your clan’s camping, shifts, equipment, resources, crafting, trading, travels and most important – the Hunt.
▏ Hunts are main source of field experience for Hunters under your lead, and reward for a successful Hunt – your funding. Extremely difficult and dangerous, as the spawns of Darkness takes various shapes – each one more deadlier than the other.
▏ On a Hunt, there is no place for blind bravery or brute force – those will only lead to your end. Instead, the key tactics are stealth, paying attention from where the wind blows, traps, ambushes and swift, accurate strikes. There is no room for mistakes and each – is being paid with life and blood.
▏ Only carefully threading your actions, strategies and wise management of your scarce resources – does give you a chance of survival.
Then something happened.
An old friend, but with a stranger’s face.
Blind eyes, that saw something they weren’t supposed to.
Silence, replaced by whispers.
Whispers, replaced by screams.
And the curtain of this wounded world
…is about to fall.
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