Keir, sadly, did not survive our quest to recover an old man’s pipe. The magic user had already lost both of his legs by the time we raided the camp of local hooligans. He had survived an onslaught of foul corpse demons, but when we returned to the inn with the beloved smoking instrument, Keir was no longer in tow. It’s just another day in the fetid world of Entropy, an upcoming RPG from Lovely Hellscape, creators of Dread Delusion. A realm where life is cheap and rot rules.
The game opens on Draenog, a major city thought to be a safe haven from the dangers at the gate. You’re part of a traveling acting troupe. When reanimated corpses storm the city square, the guard requests assistance from anyone who can hold a sword. Despite running into battle with prop weaponry you are one of the few survivors from the massacre, the others barely faring much better.
Rebuilding your life and surviving the wildlands will demand a lot of pain. In your travels you will rebuild your party with stragglers, mercenaries and losers, each taking a cut of the loot. Their deaths are also permanent, so try not to get too attached. There are friendly faces in unexpected places, but on top of the rise of putrid monsters a plague has also fogged up the land, drumming up more paranoia and closing more gates.
The game takes a lot of notes from beloved ’90s RPGs, Vagrant Story the clearest influence. A pared down version of that cult classic’s combat, you can strategically position your crew and target the individual limbs of your enemy, staggering them or lopping off something crucial altogether. Visually takes a lot of pointers as well, the dead giveaway being how many of these fantasy folks are sporting cheek-hugging speedos. The presentation doesn’t have the same tender, haunting lighting as Vagrant Story. Entropy’s air is yellow, speckled and soiled. It’s a nasty kingdom, with many buildings and boilers making the sounds of someone regretting the khao soi they had for lunch. That said, the world also is clearly penned by artist Artyom Trakhanov, and as caustic as the landscape may be it’s a delight to stroll in a place of his creation.
Entropy is not as bleak or menaced as the Fear & Hunger series, as if that’s saying much given the second one opens on your legs being sawed off by a goblin. It’s an RPG with dripping fangs and a big heart for its influences. Tough but fair, if that’s your thing. Fans were able to give it a whirl during June’s Next Fest. The game enters Early Access in August.
