Last year, Grumpy Owl Games launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new card battler. In this shuffle-building card battler, players choose three animal factions to take down their opponent’s stronghold. The base set of the game allowed for 2 to 4 players to battle against each other. Utilize different animal factions and item cards to claim victory. At the start of the campaign, Grumpy Owl Games aimed for 9000; before the 21-day campaign was over, the project was fully funded and exceeded its original goal. With 1,721 backers, Untamed: Feral Factions – Spirit Strike Edition reached $48,078. This Kickstarter was for the expansion of the game, which granted you the chance to get the items from the Untamed: Feral Factions Kickstarter that raised $54,891 during its time at funding. Now, Grumpy Owl Games is heading to steam as Untamed Tactics next year.
Although the original focused around a card battler, Untamed Tactics will change to a tactical RPG. Experience a vibrant world filled with an assortment of creatures. Grumpy Owl Games aims to combine lighthearted and dark themes. An example of this is General Greycoat, an old rabbit struggling with dementia. While spending time with his grandchildren, he recounts the adventures of his youth; sadly, due to his dementia, these stories keep changing.
Game Modes
Untamed Tactics will feature two game modes, Campaign and Nightmare mode. In Campaign mode, the player will live out Greycoat’s tales. As the player progresses, they will unlock new characters and upgrades. By completing missions, Greycoat’s memory is strengthened; by failing missions, instead of a game over screen, Greycoat will state that’s not how he remembers it happening. Once the game resumes, the world will be altered slightly.
In Nightmare mode, players will experience a rogue-lite style of game. In this mode, you will relive some of Greycoat’s darker memories. As Greycoat’s memory fails, the environment will change. Each returning visit will mean a unique random experience. As players progress through Nightmare mode, they will see a broken mirror. By completing levels, the mirror will start to repair unlocking new lore and memories.
Both game modes allow the player to choose their party. Players will move through a world map. Players can create their own adventure by their responses to dialogue encounters. One wrong choice and the battle can become increasingly difficult. The game features a variety of loot, upgrades, and classes for the player to choose between. Try out different builds as you relive Greycoat’s adventures. The game features a Parley system. The Parley System allows for players to mix combat and dialogue. If the player chooses the right dialogue, enemies can become allies.
Key Features to Take Away!
- Tactical combat: Smart resource management and clever positioning will be your key to victory. Push your enemies into toxic ooze or gang up on them for extra powerful attacks!
- A rabbit with a troubled past: Piece together the Broken Mirror by playing through Nightmare mode, slowly uncovering pieces of Greycoat’s troubled history as a veteran, in a procedural game mode fueled by its unique narrative-based progression system.
- Highly replayable: Explore a wide range of strategies, combos, and character builds. For even more replayability, dive into the ever-changing depths of the Nightmare.
- Deep customization: Empower your characters and perfect your strategy by customizing a large roster of characters with Gems, Runes, and more.
- Parley System: Use the Parley system to talk to your enemies during battles. Hit them with your best lines and you might turn the tides of battles with the power of your words!
- Narrative-driven campaign: Follow General Greycoat and his companions into the Wilds in an effort to find a new home for his people, but beware of the many threats that roam in the Untamed lands, from the vile Bonefang Clan to the mysterious House of Eyes.
What to Expect
Jeremy Falger from Grumpy Owl Games had this to say about Untamed Tactics.
“We wanted to explore the problems of dementia by presenting it in a way that actually pays tribute to the person the patient used to be, by celebrating their past. Too often people with dementia are painted as feeble shadows of themselves, we wanted to change that by showing off the character’s rich and intriguing past, making the character whole again in a way.
While the card game sets up the world and its inhabitants, it doesn’t really reveal much about what drives the characters or why they’re fighting and forging alliances. A (digital) RPG however gave us plenty of opportunities to showcase the world of Untamed and the motivation and backstories of all of its diverse and colorful characters.”
Sign up for news about Untamed Tactics at playuntamed.com. If you choose to sign up, you will get the Untamed Tactics artbook for free. If the game is successful, we could see it on consoles. Personally, a few of us here at Marooners’ Rock would be excited to see it come to console as well.
Looking to wishlist the game? You can do so below by clicking the button or heading to the Steam Page here. Sound off in the comments if you’re looking forward to the game?
