While Diablo 4 is very much still thriving, with its Lord of Hatred expansion being well-received and Diablo 4 still getting new seasonal content, fans of isometric action RPGs could still be seeking alternatives. Games like Path of Exile have proven that Blizzard’s franchise doesn’t have to be the end-all, be-all of the genre, as there are plenty of ways to put a unique spin on killing waves of enemies and looting their corpses for gear. For players seeking a break from Diablo’s particularly grim world of Sanctuary, Steam’s Tarae: The Unbound could absolutely be up their alley.
While Tarae: The Unbound is still deep in development, as indicated on its Steam page, the Krafton-published and Boundary-developed project gives players plenty to look at. Set in a visually stunning and gory Eastern world, battling foes that are a cross between Asian mythology and traditional demons should go a long way to giving Tarae its own identity. Sure, the spellcasting, camera perspective, and visual style all echo Diablo’s timeless gameplay formula, but it’s not the only title that gamers may be thinking of while burning and slicing their way through hostiles. After all, one of the game’s six playable classes, properly known as Seekers, essentially transforms players into the Ghost of Tsushima himself.
Tarae: The Unbound Features at a Glance
- FIGHT hordes of enemies using “a wide arsenal of skills,” chaining attacks to hit as hard as possible.
- BOSS FIGHTS will test players’ skills, requiring well-timed dodges and counters to succeed.
- CHOOSE between six playable Seekers, each with their own lore to uncover.
- GROW as an adventurer with deep classes, each offering multiple build options to go along with their guns, blades, martial arts, and spiritual power.
- EXPLORE a unique world that “blends Eastern aesthetics with mythic imagination,” offering everything from temples to war-torn streets.
- CHECK OUT Tarae the Unbound on Steam
Like Diablo 4, Tarae: The Unbound Puts Emphasis on its Classes
While it took some time for Diablo 4 to add the fan-favorite Paladin class, it’s hard to argue against the idea that it has elevated the class mechanic to new heights. Alongside unique voice actors for every class option, Diablo 4’s classes offer some distinct upgrade paths, side quests, and distinct personalities that make them feel deeper than ever before. And fortunately for Tarae, classes seem to be just as important to the game’s identity as they are in the genre’s biggest name.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Tarae’s Seekers all have their own distinct purposes and backgrounds, bonding with their fellow adventurers and coming to understand them as they progress through their journey to restore the Six Realms. “Burdened by different karma,” these stories are meant to unfold across the entire journey, and they’re so crucial that they’ll be seen both in solo play and in online co-op. If players are alone, they’ll be joined by the other Seekers as the story goes on, ensuring that they see all of the different Seekers’ individual tales.
Choosing a Seeker won’t just come down to which story intrigues players the most, or which style of class they decide to play, but also their appearances. An older, seasoned warrior, a hooded, bell-wielding woman, and a fan-using character that may remind gamers of Mortal Kombat’s Kitana are all present. A shirtless warrior that likely serves as the game’s martial arts expert is an option as well, with the fifth character being a woman boasting a face mask. However, it’s the final Seeker that any fans of Sucker Punch’s Ghost franchise will likely be drawn to, as his design is essentially a full-on copy of Jin Sakai. The half-mask is hugely reminiscent of Jin’s menpo, and both the color scheme and outfit design are similar. This Seeker is even the sword-wielder of the group, making for yet another similarity to Jin. If players ever wanted to see what a top-down Ghost of Tsushima: Legends could look like, Tarae seemingly has them covered.
Tarae: The Unbound also seems to be putting a lot of effort into ticking off the all-important ARPG box of deep class options. It promises “entirely different builds” for every class, with concepts like the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, karma, and reincarnation being incorporated into their designs. Players will set traits to determine the core of their build—likely picking from listed playstyles such as blades and firearms, mystic and martial arts, and spirit commanding. After traits are chosen, new branches of the associated skill tree will open that offer support skills, with gear able to be acquired to further refine a build. And, similar to any game like Diablo, each class will have its own resource and skill system.
How Tarae: The Unbound’s Taegwido Setting Gives It Personality
Tarae: The Unbound may borrow a whole lot from Diablo, but it moves far away from something like Sanctuary and its traditional heaven and hell vibes in favor of a world named Taegwido. Taegwido takes clear inspiration from not just Asian culture and architecture, but mythology as well. This will have a huge impact on every facet of the game, not just its characters. For instance, the areas within the world that have been shown thus far feature temple designs and city streets that look nothing like what one would find in even the best Diablo games, and that’s undoubtedly going to be a boon.
Boss and basic enemy design will be similarly unique, with dragons, flying lions, and lizard-like beasts all being showcased via early promotional material for Tarae. Extra care has seemingly been taken with thd game’s boss battles, with developer Boundary stating that it strived to make each and every battle feel unique. Players will need to counter or dodge some drastically different attack patterns in each encounter, keeping them on their toes at all times. With all the things that make Diablo great, plus a bold setting that makes comparisons to wildly different franchises like Ghost of Tsushima possible, Tarae: The Unbound seemingly has everything it needs to earn itself a spot on the Steam wishlist of many ARPG fans.
