Kickstarter Check-In: Stoneshard, Steamboat Billy

RPGamer’s ad hoc Kickstarter Check-In feature returns for a look at two ongoing crowdfunding campaigns. This edition features Ink Stains Games’ Stoneshard and ManaVoid Entertainment’s Steamboat Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan.

Stoneshard

Stoneshard is billed as an “open-world roguelike RPG with tactical freedom”, with inspirations including Diablo, ADOM, The Banner Saga, and Darkest Dungeon. The game is set in the medieval fantasy kingdom of Aldor, with players controlling a mercenary who assembles a caravan of followers as the kingdom is being torn apart by war.

In addition to keeping their hit points up, players will have to deal with various other health and survival issues. Pain, hunger, injuries, intoxication, and mental health all have the potential to cause problems, with various items available to help alleviate them. The game features twelve classes, grouped between three races (human, elf, and dwarf) and four archetypes (warrior, rogue, ranger, and mage). Player characters will also earn specific personality traits; these may affect attributes or interactions with NPCs.

Combat in Stoneshard is balanced towards high-risk and high-reward. A stealth system allows players to get the drop on enemies by removing light sources such as torches while avoiding making noise from stepping on glass or other such objects. There are multiple magic disciplines available to players, including elemental, area-of-effect, and time-bending spells.

Though death is permanent, it does not necessarily mean game over. Instead the player’s caravan will find a new mercenary. The caravan acts as a hub for the player as they move around the map taking and turning in mercenary contracts. Players will pick up followers in multiple ways and these followers will provide various events — many forcing decisions on the player — and potentially their own questlines throughout the game.

Stoneshard is being developed for Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. The game is planned for release on Early Access in late 2018 before a full launch on Steam and GOG in mid-2019, followed by the console release shortly after. Ink Stains Games is looking for $30,000 in funding by June 16, 2018, with those who pledge at least $15 receiving a digital copy of the game as part of their backer rewards. A prologue demo is available to download on the game’s Kickstarter page.

Steamboat Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan

Steamboat Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is an adventure RPG drawing inspirations from Zelda, Pokémon, and Cuphead. The game sees players attempting to return color to the cartoon world by defeating and capturing monsters.

The lack of color is caused by the once-a-millennium emergence of the Great Leviathan. Players need to defeat the leviathan’s minions by training up their own team of monsters and rebuild the city of Star Harbor to restore things, with the world made up of various islands that players must sail to. The game’s art style is inspired by American cartoons of the 1930s, though includes some more modern elements.

Combat in Steamboat Billy is turn-based with quick-time events giving players the chance to perform critical hits or dodge, with the party made up of monsters of varying abilities and strength. The game also features various additional exploration elements, such as treasure maps, as well as crafting.

Steamboat Billy is being developed for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, with an initially planned release date of late 2019. Developer ManaVoid Entertainment is looking for C$65,000 in funding by June 14, 2018, with those who pledge at least C$30 receiving a digital copy of the game as part of their backer rewards.

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