Game News SKALD: Against the Black Priory releasing in Spring 2024

[Infinitron]

Tags: High North Studios; Raw Fury; SKALD: Against the Black Priory

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1069160/view/3897366645121795643

Greetings, and happy Rawcember everyone!

Let’s dive straight into our big announcement for the end of 2023:
The launch of SKALD: Against the Black Priory is now officially set for Spring 2024!

Over the past year, Anders and the team have been hard at work on the game in order to craft a memorable adventure that we know you’ll enjoy, and we truly can’t wait for you to see and experience it by yourself.

Every system in the game has undergone meticulous polishing and significant enhancements since we last showcased it back in January 2023. But that's not all—additional features and improvements are still in the works to ensure that you’ll have a blast playing through the final game, whilst exploring its world and uncovering its mysteries.

Our free demo has been updated and now features an early look at some of the new features mentioned above, including font customization options, difficulty settings, and other accessibility or quality of life improvements.

As we gear up for the launch, you can expect more frequent updates and new content drops from us, so stay tuned by wishlisting the game on Steam and following us on social media!

Also, don't hesitate to drop a comment to share your reactions or questions about the game if you have any.

We can't wait for you to experience SKALD when it launches in Spring 2024!

The Raw Fury team​

 

[Haba]

LOL, didn't even recognize the game from the thumbnail image.

 

[Luzur]

Nice, now get it out

 

[ShaggyMoose]

That's what she said?

 

[Viata]

Looks far more beautiful than the last time I saw anything about the game. Amazing.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I'll believe it when it happens. That said, I'll be happy to eat crow. I enjoyed the demo and would like to see more. I can't believe that I played the demo over 2 years ago--and I was a late comer! sheesh.

 

[WarHamster]

"What I can say (and have said in social media already) is that the game is launchiong in 2023 come hell or high water." - direct quote from the dev on Kickstarter last March.

 

[taxalot]

"What I can say (and have said in social media already) is that the game is launchiong in 2023 come hell or high water." - direct quote from the dev on Kickstarter last March.

He's still saying it. Look at the actual backer email I got.

Received today.

 

[Viata]

"first half of 2023"

 

[Bumvelcrow]

Received today.

Well, at least he posted a devlog. I'm slightly more confident that this game will be released than Unknown Realm

 

[udm]

Hey Jaesun check dis out

 

[El Presidente]

Don't push him guys, he's gonna do it. He's about to do it. He's gonna drop that Miyamoto quote.

 

[Viata]

Miyamoto quote

Never said by Miyamoto, though.

 

[Rincewind]

I'm personally a bit disappointed that they're going for this retro-pixel-art fantasy look. First, it was "C64-palette-inspired", but not really, because they used a lot more colours. Ok. Now we have literally hundreds/thousands of colours because of the lighting system. Dunno, I think it detracts from the "retro-ness" of it. I guess it's a weird psychological thing for me. Plus they still use tack sharp little rectangles, no CRT shader in sight... So I'm getting less enthusiastic at least about the visual side of things.

What I'm getting excited about is the Briley Witch Chronicles and similar games that run on a real C64 and therefore must adhere to palette & graphics limitations. Those limitations are important, they lend the C64 its character.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

no CRT shader in sight

The CRT shader has been in for over 2 years. The problem is that few to no screenshots show it in action.

That said, I'm not a huge fan of the new lighting system either -- it feels less like a "C64 game the way you remember them" and more like an amateurish attempt to modernize this approach.

 

[AdolfSatan]

They somehow made it look worse than OG C64 games with all that bullshit they crammed in, specially those ridiculous blobs of shadow.
Lords of Chaos achieved a lot more readability and detail with more constraints.

Demo was fun nonetheless, so finger’s crossed the gameplay will still be good.

 

[Rincewind]

no CRT shader in sight

The CRT shader has been in for over 2 years. The problem is that few to no screenshots show it in action.

Yeah, I'm not the type who plays unfinished games or demos. I always wait until the full release so I'm only going by screenshots. It's good that they are including a CRT shader with the game.

That said, I'm not a huge fan of the new lighting system either -- it feels less like a "C64 game the way you remember them" and more like an amateurish attempt to modernize this approach.

Exactly, it feels a bit like "because we can". Hardware restrictions shape pixel art in interesting ways, and by removing that you get this "modern blocky pixel art" which is just... meh.

Lords of Chaos achieved a lot more readability and detail with more constraints.

Indeed, that game looks really good.

 

[Tweed]

Next Friday.

 

[Infinitron]

I'm personally a bit disappointed that they're going for this retro-pixel-art fantasy look. First, it was "C64-palette-inspired", but not really, because they used a lot more colours. Ok. Now we have literally hundreds/thousands of colours because of the lighting system. Dunno, I think it detracts from the "retro-ness" of it. I guess it's a weird psychological thing for me. Plus they still use tack sharp little rectangles, no CRT shader in sight... So I'm getting less enthusiastic at least about the visual side of things.

What I'm getting excited about is the Briley Witch Chronicles and similar games that run on a real C64 and therefore must adhere to palette & graphics limitations. Those limitations are important, they lend the C64 its character.

It is no longer a 1980s C64-like game, but more like what a state-of-the-art tile-based pixel art RPG released circa 1992 might have looked like.

 

[Atlet]

I'm personally a bit disappointed that they're going for this retro-pixel-art fantasy look. First, it was "C64-palette-inspired", but not really, because they used a lot more colours. Ok. Now we have literally hundreds/thousands of colours because of the lighting system. Dunno, I think it detracts from the "retro-ness" of it. I guess it's a weird psychological thing for me. Plus they still use tack sharp little rectangles, no CRT shader in sight... So I'm getting less enthusiastic at least about the visual side of things.

What I'm getting excited about is the Briley Witch Chronicles and similar games that run on a real C64 and therefore must adhere to palette & graphics limitations. Those limitations are important, they lend the C64 its character.

It is no longer a 1980s C64-like game, but more like what a state-of-the-art tile-based pixel art RPG released circa 1993 might have looked like.

Yes, it lost the charm, now it's a SNES game. Look what it used to be...

 

[Rincewind]

It is no longer a 1980s C64-like game, but more like what a state-of-the-art tile-based pixel art RPG released circa 1993 might have looked like.

Fair point. I guess I prefer the 80s C64 style by a large margin.

 

[Rincewind]

I'm personally a bit disappointed that they're going for this retro-pixel-art fantasy look. First, it was "C64-palette-inspired", but not really, because they used a lot more colours. Ok. Now we have literally hundreds/thousands of colours because of the lighting system. Dunno, I think it detracts from the "retro-ness" of it. I guess it's a weird psychological thing for me. Plus they still use tack sharp little rectangles, no CRT shader in sight... So I'm getting less enthusiastic at least about the visual side of things.

What I'm getting excited about is the Briley Witch Chronicles and similar games that run on a real C64 and therefore must adhere to palette & graphics limitations. Those limitations are important, they lend the C64 its character.

It is no longer a 1980s C64-like game, but more like what a state-of-the-art tile-based pixel art RPG released circa 1993 might have looked like.

Yes, it lost the charm, now it's a SNES game. Look what it used to be...

It did look glorious, indeed. I wish they brought back that look, it was a perfect "modern C64 look". Game might still be good, of course, but yeah, for me the charm is largely gone.

 

[Rincewind]

From their dev blog. I'd take the old 16-colour art on the left if I had a choice. I find the lighting effects a little bit garish.

 

[Viata]

From their dev blog. I'd take the old 16-colour art on the left if I had a choice. I find the lighting effects a little bit garish.

This image makes it more evident that the lightning effects made it worse.

 

[luj1]

I'm personally a bit disappointed that they're going for this retro-pixel-art fantasy look. First, it was "C64-palette-inspired", but not really, because they used a lot more colours. Ok. Now we have literally hundreds/thousands of colours because of the lighting system. Dunno, I think it detracts from the "retro-ness" of it. I guess it's a weird psychological thing for me. Plus they still use tack sharp little rectangles, no CRT shader in sight... So I'm getting less enthusiastic at least about the visual side of things.

What I'm getting excited about is the Briley Witch Chronicles and similar games that run on a real C64 and therefore must adhere to palette & graphics limitations. Those limitations are important, they lend the C64 its character.

It is no longer a 1980s C64-like game, but more like what a state-of-the-art tile-based pixel art RPG released circa 1993 might have looked like.

Yes, it lost the charm, now it's a SNES game. Look what it used to be...

Have to agree, it used to look great