Antharion [Alpha 0.8.0] (2015) (PC) (Orphic Software)
0The mighty RPG troika of Pillars of Eternity, Divinity: Original Sin and Wasteland 2 represents a triumphant and much-publicized return of the old school PC roleplaying experience, but there are a few other crowdfunded games which are at least as important to me as these mammoth releases. One of those smaller projects is Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplar (more on that shortly, I hope) and another is Antharion from Orphic Software, which just put out an alpha version for Kickstarter backers to check out.
As the custom-made party of four characters emerge from the depths of the starting dungeon and are free to explore a massive overworld, it's abundantly clear that this game nails the classic RPG feel right off the bat. The turn-based combat system is simple but effective and hardcore enough that my whole party was wiped on the first encounter because I hadn't equipped the characters properly. As a result, venturing off the beaten path feels as dangerous as it is potentially lucrative (a balance few RPGs get right these days). The graphics are technologically unremarkable but there's a colorful crispness and attention to detail to the visuals which remind me of old Might & Magic or Ultima, and that nostalgic high fantasy vibe is further enhanced by really epic background music. I can't say much about the progression or quest design so far, but Antharion is definitely shaping up to become everything I wanted the game to be when I backed the Kickstarter campaign.
http://orphicsoftware.com/