EMPYRE: Earls of the Deep Earth - final shovelware sequel set in the Orient

[Infinitron]

http://empyrethegame.com





https://www.terminals.io/games/empyre-earls-of-the-deep-earth/news/4304

Auburn, New Hampshire – February 5th, 2024 - Coin Operated Games is excited to announce that its upcoming Neo-Victorian RPG Empyre: Earls of the Deep Earth, will be coming to PC via Steam on March 12, 2024. Developed by a team of industry veterans from such influential companies as Crytek, Creative Assembly, Codemasters and Digital Reality, Empyre: Earls of the Deep Earth is a top-down isometric RPG that takes place in an alternate version of China circa 1899.

About The Game

EMPYRE: Earls of the Deep Earth is the final isometric RPG adventure of the Empyre series, set in a Neo-Victorian era version of China. Struck with complete memory loss and wandering through a shadowy unfamiliar place, you find yourself on the hunt for the enigmatic Elias, a villainous rogue who is seemingly responsible for your amnesia. Players are invited to explore the secrets of an exotic land, bathed in an ominous and seemingly perpetual darkness. Will you be able to discover a way to restore light to an endangered empire?

Creating A New World

In order to design the new world that you explore in Earls of the Deep Earth, Coin Operated Games engaged the services of Stefano Tsai (Thor: Love & Thunder, His Dark Materials) to consult on specific details that we could use to properly portray Chinese culture and affairs. This partnership was invaluable in ensuring that the China depicted in the game was authentically and believably adapted for the Neo-Victorian setting of the Empyre series!

“It was great fun working with Coin Operated Games to make their version of China come to life,” said Stefano Tsai. “They were very interested in making sure that certain aspects were just right.”

“There are so many elements to Chinese culture that are so hard to capture and implement correctly,” said John Randall, Creative Director of EMPYRE. “I don’t know how we could have done it without Stefano’s assistance.”

He can't keep getting away with it!

 

[Tyranicon]

Neo-Victorian era version of China

Wut?

Also

Why?

 

[Infinitron]

Neo-Victorian era version of China

Wut?

Also

Why?

Not sure if you're aware of the previous titles in this illustrious series.

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...steampunk-rpg-set-in-flooded-new-york.117015/
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...set-in-a-robot-built-arizona-sky-city.142778/

We have a theory that these games are secretly a money laundering operation for organized crime. They sell zero copies but the sequels keep coming.

 

[Rean]

We have a theory that these games are secretly a money laundering operation for organized crime. They sell zero copies but the sequels keep coming.

They might have a rich private backer, a big loan or be part of a state 'arts and cultural project'. I can't find anything about this company though.

 

[Serus]

We have a theory that these games are secretly a money laundering operation for organized crime. They sell zero copies but the sequels keep coming.

They might have a rich private backer, a big loan or be part of a state 'arts and cultural project'. I can't find anything about this company though.

Couldn't be the author has some money and just loves making (bad?) games? He might not have talent but maybe he doesn't care. For a laundering operation they seem weirdly.... weird. You'd think a shitty high fantasy diablo-clone would be more likely.

 

[Infinitron]

Steam page is up now.

Overview

You think the year is 1899, but you seem to have lost your memory. You can confirm you’re on a ship, and you've been told that you're heading for Shanghai. Whatever the truth may be, the only thing you have left is a name: Elias. Who is he? Why is he important? and what does he have to do with your missing past? The only way to find answers is to venture forth, exploring an exotic and unfamiliar land.

EMPYRE: Earls of the Deep Earth is a classic isometric tactical RPG with a story-driven campaign. Taking place before the Great Flood that changed the EMPYRE world, your journey takes you through the land of China at the end of the 19th century. The adventure ahead places you in a new setting where a Neo-Victorian renaissance with science fiction/fantasy twists is taking place!

On your journey, you will visit many strange villages encounter many peculiar characters, and explore mysterious underground locations. Your allies and enemies are intent on guiding you toward an unknown goal. Only time will tell if you have the bravery and ingenuity to survive the search for answers in the final EMPYRE adventure: Earls of the Deep Earth.

Features

- Explore a surreal new landscape with vivid locales and a colorful cast of characters.
- Experience new ways to wage combat with an all new armory of 19th century Chinese weaponry.
- Test your wits against improved enemy AI in battles that will challenge you at every turn!
- Experiment with Ancient Chinese medicines

 

[Gandalf]

Looks interesting? How bad are these games?

 

[Infinitron]

Released.

https://www.terminals.io/games/empyre-earls-of-the-deep-earth/news/4337

Auburn, New Hampshire – March 12, 2024 – Coin Operated Games is pleased to announce that its final entry in their Neo-Victorian RPG series: Empyre: Earls of the Deep Earth, has come to Steam. Developed by a team of industry veterans from such influential companies as Crytek, Codemasters, Gameloft and Creative Assembly, Empyre: Earls of the Deep Earthis a top-down isometric RPG that takes place in a Neo-Victorian Orient in 1899.

…embark on a journey into a Neo-Victorian era version of the Orient…

The Story So Far

Struck with complete memory loss and wandering through a shadowy and mysteriously unfamiliar place; you find yourself on the hunt for the enigmatic Elias, a villainous rogue who is seemingly responsible for your amnesia. In Empyre: Earls of the Deep Earth, players are invited to explore the secrets of an exotic land, bathed in an ominous and seemingly perpetual darkness. Will you be able to discover a way to restore light to an endangered empire?

Featuring a top-down isometric presentation, Empyre: Earls of the Deep Earthwill rekindle the flames of nostalgia in old-school PC RPG fans with gameplay that harkens back to the classic story driven RPGs of the 90s. While the combat should feel familiar to veteran players of the Empyre series, there have been new twists added with a hybrid real time/turn-based combat system.

Players can enter a “Planning Mode” where they choose actions for each character in their party while combat is paused, and when entering into the “Action Mode” all characters will perform simultaneously, giving players complete control over their party while presenting a streamlined combat system that eliminates waiting for each character to act in sequence.

“One of the things we strove for when designing Empyre was to project a believable vision of the future in the past,” said John Randall, Creative Director of Empyre. “But not just any future. An Utopian vision of the future across cultures. A future based on steam-powered contraptions and all manner of mechanical marvels. People and society exist and act as they did in the early 20th Century but live in an amazing Age of wondrous machines. We feel this will give the players a one-of-a-kind experience that they haven’t seen anywhere before.”

 

[Strange Fellow]

wtf is going on here

 

[Rahdulan]

There's three of these games? I remember Lords of the Sea Gates wasn't getting discounted much, but that was years ago.

 

[Kiste]

Neo-Victorian era version of China

Wut?

Also

Why?

Victorian era? Does this mean we get to put down the Boxer rebellion and slaughter tons of little yellow insect people?



If you come before the enemy, he will be defeated! No quarter will be given! Prisoners will not be taken! Whoever falls into your hands is forfeited! Just as a thousand years ago the Huns under their king Etzel made a name for themselves, one that even today makes them seem mighty in history and legend, so may the name Germany be affirmed by you in such a way in China that no Chinese will ever again dare to look cross-eyed at a German!
— Wilhelm II