Expeditions: Viking Preview

GameInformer has published a preview on Expeditions: Viking, the new title from Logic Artists, the studio behind Expeditions: Conquistador. According to the developers, the game will embrace the RPG elements that were already part of the previous title and present a storyline full of political intrigue:

Some of the changes that make Viking feel more like an RPG are in presentation. For instance, discreet areas that you'll be able to explore are connected by a 2D overworld map that fans of Fallout and Fallout 2 will be familiar.

One of the most compelling elements though, is the setting. The Viking age isn't one we see often. Wæver says there are benefits and challenges to working in this time period.

(The Viking age is both really easy and really challenging to deal with historically because written accounts are so sparse and so biased the Norse didn't really write a whole lot, since brevity is of the essence when you have to chisel your words into stones!) he says. (This gives us a lot of freedom to choose our own approach to the historical elements, but it also makes it difficult to find trustworthy sources to rely on for shaping our game world. Fortunately there are tons and tons of archaeological sources about the Viking age, so we've been relying on a lot of that to get the clothing, the architecture, the tools and weapons, and the ships just right.)

The story will focus on interpersonal relationships and the conflicts and alliances among the tribes. Wæver says he and his team are fortunate that Tolkien's work was rooted in Northern European lore and gamers will have a touchstone when they play Viking.