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Tags: Fabled Lands; Prime Games
Prime Games is an indie studio from Bulgaria that appears to specialize in developing digital gamebooks. Prime's first three games on PC were based on their own original fantasy and sci-fi settings, but they've apparently made enough of a name for themselves to get to work on a more famous IP. Fabled Lands was a short-lived series of gamebooks by British tabletop authors Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson released back in 1995-1996. Prime's adaptation is also called Fabled Lands, and it's their first game to be described as a full-fledged RPG. As you'll see in the recently released announcement trailer, the presentation is still rather simple and gamebooky, but maybe this is the beginning of a Trese Brothers-like evolution. I'll post it here along with an excerpt from the game's announcement post from last September.
Ahead of its time
Fabled Lands feels like a computer game on paper. There is no main arc, no plot to advance. Instead, a full-fledged open world which you can roam freely across six books, each of the books representing a single location. When you reach the high peaks of the mountains in the north of Sokara in book one and, for example, you could find a passage to the other side, you would continue your adventure in the Plains of Howling Darkness in book four.
Exploration brought forward many interesting and sometimes bizarre quests. Like releasing the High King from his frozen tomb. Or a city of ghosts that guards the Shadar's treasure vaults. Even obtaining the secret of immortality which is contained in the ancient evil of Kaschuf the Deathless.
There is also a harsh economy based on valuable local currency, namely Shards, obtained through wise trade of numerous items, lofty maneuverers with the local merchant guilds, stashing goods in your own property, or buying and selling cargo aboard a freshly bought sea vessel.
All this felt truly like what cRPGs offer nowadays.
Naturally, one thing led to the other…
In 2017 I founded Prime Games. I started small, adapting short gamebooks, developing my skills. Fast-forward and its 2019 with the studio having a bit of a portfolio built up. I was getting hungry for a bigger title and eager to finally sit down and create a full-blown RPG.
Over the years I followed Dave Morris’s Fabled Lands blog, learned of the anticipation for a worthy digital representation of their series and plotted (as a true acolyte of the dark lord would do). The day to reach out for the license of their work was upon me!
Plans were made. Plane tickets bought and ships outfitted. One of the players had the founder skill, and he plotted a course to the United Kingdom. Another considered the supplies the party would need. Soon we were ready to set out on a new expedition. And all because one of the players happened to spot the email address of the Fabled Lands’ authors…
Ladies and gents *drum rolls*
I am thrilled to embark on the journey of turning this epic series into a computer game. Let's start by saying that there will be:
Fabled Lands is scheduled for release in early 2021. For more details, check out the game's Steam page.
Prime Games is an indie studio from Bulgaria that appears to specialize in developing digital gamebooks. Prime's first three games on PC were based on their own original fantasy and sci-fi settings, but they've apparently made enough of a name for themselves to get to work on a more famous IP. Fabled Lands was a short-lived series of gamebooks by British tabletop authors Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson released back in 1995-1996. Prime's adaptation is also called Fabled Lands, and it's their first game to be described as a full-fledged RPG. As you'll see in the recently released announcement trailer, the presentation is still rather simple and gamebooky, but maybe this is the beginning of a Trese Brothers-like evolution. I'll post it here along with an excerpt from the game's announcement post from last September.
Ahead of its time
Fabled Lands feels like a computer game on paper. There is no main arc, no plot to advance. Instead, a full-fledged open world which you can roam freely across six books, each of the books representing a single location. When you reach the high peaks of the mountains in the north of Sokara in book one and, for example, you could find a passage to the other side, you would continue your adventure in the Plains of Howling Darkness in book four.
Exploration brought forward many interesting and sometimes bizarre quests. Like releasing the High King from his frozen tomb. Or a city of ghosts that guards the Shadar's treasure vaults. Even obtaining the secret of immortality which is contained in the ancient evil of Kaschuf the Deathless.
There is also a harsh economy based on valuable local currency, namely Shards, obtained through wise trade of numerous items, lofty maneuverers with the local merchant guilds, stashing goods in your own property, or buying and selling cargo aboard a freshly bought sea vessel.
All this felt truly like what cRPGs offer nowadays.
Naturally, one thing led to the other…
In 2017 I founded Prime Games. I started small, adapting short gamebooks, developing my skills. Fast-forward and its 2019 with the studio having a bit of a portfolio built up. I was getting hungry for a bigger title and eager to finally sit down and create a full-blown RPG.
Over the years I followed Dave Morris’s Fabled Lands blog, learned of the anticipation for a worthy digital representation of their series and plotted (as a true acolyte of the dark lord would do). The day to reach out for the license of their work was upon me!
Plans were made. Plane tickets bought and ships outfitted. One of the players had the founder skill, and he plotted a course to the United Kingdom. Another considered the supplies the party would need. Soon we were ready to set out on a new expedition. And all because one of the players happened to spot the email address of the Fabled Lands’ authors…
Ladies and gents *drum rolls*
I am thrilled to embark on the journey of turning this epic series into a computer game. Let's start by saying that there will be:
- Interactive world map that will become the heart and soul of the game with locations from the books.
- Branching text visualized in a modern, user-friendly fashion.
- Turn-based tactical combat system adapted for PC gamers, retaining and expanding upon the balance achieved within the books.
- Reworked classes and character progression skill trees.
- Resource management systems (inventory, blessings, hideouts, resurrection deals, skills, abilities, cargo, etc.)
- Save/load for normal mode and, of course, the lack of such for Iron Man mode.
- Visual effects and animations.
Fabled Lands is scheduled for release in early 2021. For more details, check out the game's Steam page.
