Bulletin: News on Rakshasa, Crimson Desert, AI-use in games, and more!

Kick off the weekend with this year’s first bulletin, as I discuss new games such as Rakshasa and Crimson Desert, look into the Gen-AI issue within games, and hop into some Snippets Of The Past!

Modern Slums And Ancient Monsters

If you enjoy animated history videos, you may have heard of Odd Compass. The people behind the YouTube channel have been creating videos on “under-appreciated events and people in Asian history” for over 6 years now, and they might be on the cusp of something big! Odd Compass Studio revealed its first game not too long ago. The dark and grimy RPG Rakshasa has history buffs excited, and for a very good reason. Although the game takes place in modern-day India, it contains demigods, spellcasters, and monsters from Indian folklore. Not only does the game display India’s rich history, but it is also visually and environmentally very interesting. The art style is quite unique, and the game takes you from luxury neighbourhoods to slums, ancient temples, and the like.

The combat style also gives players plenty to look forward to. Players can use their newly awakened Tantrik powers to battle in turn-based combat. You’ll have to use your attacks wisely and timely, though, or you might not get the maximum damage, after which, of course, it’s the enemy’s turn. Rakshasa also offers personalised builds, allowing the player to play the game the way they want. And like many other games, it also uses “non-combat skills like insight, persuasion, sneaking, and occult knowledge” to level up and customise your character. There is no release date as of yet.

The World Turns Crimson

Moving on to another type of RPG, we’re setting our sights on Crimson Desert. The release date draws closer day by day, with the game set to drop on March 19th of this year. Developer Pearl Abyss created this open-world action-adventure game, set in the incredibly large and beautiful continent of Pywel. I say incredibly large, because the studio has claimed the map is TWICE as large as Skyrim‘s and is even larger than that of Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s a bold claim, but the fact that the trailers (allegedly) only show a small portion of the map may confirm it.

The game has players take up the role of the Greymane Kliff, a man who lost his comrades in a vicious attack. It is up to the players to help him take revenge and rebuild the Greymanes. In order to do so, the game offers plenty of personalised gameplay options with various weapons, attacks, mounts, and, of course, the open-world map.

Crimson Desert may sound like your typical fantasy game, but I assure you, it’s not. The studio made a game that is both fantasy and futuristic in one, with beautiful natural landscapes and machinery both taking up their space. Pearl Abyss also revealed that the role-playing element lies not so much in Kliff himself, but in how players choose to interact with the world around them. So take up your sword and explore!

Galloping Into The Discussion On AI & Game Design

In the past couple of weeks, a large discussion surrounding the use of AI in games has erupted among the community. Gamestudio Hooded Horse has now spoken out to give their two cents. When Larian Studios, creators of the smash hit Baldur’s Gate 3, suggested using gen-AI for their next game, Divinity, a spark ignited into a flame. Many gaming studios have now revealed how they use (or plan to use) AI assets within their company and their games. Some claim to use it for temporary placeholders, and not for anything that will end up in the eventual game. Others are ready to fully embrace the use of gen-AI to create “better games” at a much “quicker rate.”

This sensitive topic needs careful discussion, and rightly so! One studio that is taking a stand against the use of AI is Hooded Horse, the studio that published hits like Manor Lords and Endless Legend 2. They are even going so far as to ban all use of AI, and the reasoning makes sense. Banning something is easier said than done. It demands a careful eye and a lot of discipline. But according to Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender, all that effort is worth it. The entire project becomes tainted when a gen-AI placeholder slips past the final checks and ends up in the final product.

Snippets Of The Past

More Awards Incoming

? Marks The Spot

Fight To The Death

An Old Face

And A New One