Let’s bask in some RPG rays before the week’s out, shall we? The Waylanders is an upcoming adventure spanning two time periods set to the tune of Celtic folklore. It’s a party-based RPG, part of why it calls itself inspired by the likes of Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age: Origins. Other similarities seem to be the focus on story, which we see the beginnings of in a new trailer.
“The first meeting between the Celts and their gods, the Tuatha de Danaan should have been a time of celebration and enlightenment,” says The Waylanders’ store page. “But, when the negotiations go catastrophically wrong, you find yourself near death—and untethered from time.” That appears to be what’s being set up in the trailer below as King Ith and his son Prince Lugaid disagree about how to handle first contact.
Lugaid isn’t the most diligent heir to the throne, according to his father. Ith questions whether his son is better suited to a life of ruling or a life of partying. The Waylanders’ description lets on that you’ll choose whether to support the brash young royal or a more pragmatic general.
As for the trailer itself, it’s a quick one that gives just a tiny bit of insight into both characters. The line “well I’m sick of privilege!” makes me think someone snickered while writing such an on the nose modern-ism. There’s certainly a place for silliness. Dragon Age fans are wont to say, “swooping is bad,” and other such bants after all.
I do hope that The Waylanders will be able to balance the cheeky jokes with some more vulnerable writing, since Gato Studio seem so keen on pointing to the pedigree of their writers. They claim former Telltale-er Emily Grace Buck as their lead writer, former BioWare-er Mike Laidlaw as a consultant, and Chris Avellone formerly of—well a lot of things—but you probably associate him with Fallout: New Vegas. It’s a crew I expect a lot from, and Gato aren’t shy about using their names to insinuate the quality of The Waylanders’ story.
The Waylanders is expected to release sometime in 2020, though a specific date hasn’t yet been announced. You can find it over on Steam in the meantime.
Ta, PC Gamer.