DYNASTY WARRIORS 9

Dynasty Warriors as a series lives and dies by its large scale high-octane 1v1000 battles, and so, in Dynasty Warriors 9, Koei Tecmo and Omega Force, in their infinite wisdom, decided to… dilute that with an open world setting? This is a prime example of a series chasing a popular trend without any regard for whether or not that trend will be suited to its strengths. Worse still, not only did Dynasty Warriors 9’s open world detract from the game’s other strengths, it just wasn’t a very good open world to begin with itself.

Topware Interactive’s swashbuckling RPG Raven’s Cry has faced another delay. The PC, Mac, Linux and SteamOS version will be out on January 26th 2015 while the retail PC, Mac, PS3 and PS4 versions will be out on January 28th 2015. There’s no news on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One releases.

Why was it delayed again? The developer stated that, “We had hoped our dark pirate epic would be ready in time for the Holidays, so those of you who buy it could put it under the Christmas tree. But we’re not willing to rush things make any compromises with this project, so we decided to give this complex RPG adventure a little bit more time to make sure all the blades are nice and sharp, so to speak.

“We owe it to our fans, who have been waiting a long time for a such an exciting pirate experience.”

Raven’s Cry was supposed to arrive in 2014, having been delayed multiple times and arriving in late November. We’ll see how it works out when it eventually releases but as of now, its troubles only seem to be mounting.

Raven’s Cry, the dark pirate adventure game, is now available for pre-ordering on Steam. If you purchase it now, you can get it for 10% off, and can also score yourself some sweet incentives, such as the exclusive soundtrack, digital world map, and three exclusive in-game items (which include the “Long Hand” pistol, the “Griffin” figurehead and the sword “Marrow”). Each of the three exclusive in game items enhance Christopher’s skills and the capabilities of his ship when you use them.

In addition, there is also a Digital Deluxe edition of the game, that comes with its own bonuses. These include:

•  A brand new location waiting to be explored, with extra quests and an additional 30 minutes of playing time
• Two exclusive in-game items: the Grim Ripper figurehead and the mighty cutlass “Merciless”. Both exclusive in-game items increase the respective abilities of Christopher and his ship when used
• The digital Artbook: Enjoy 72 packed pages of original Raven’s Cry artwork (PDF Format)
• An extended version of the Official Soundtrack with a total of 140 minutes of content (MP3 Format)
• All 8 classic pirate songs, including the traditional Irish and Mexican lyrics, including Whisky in a Jar, Hanging Willie aka Drunken Sailor, La Bamba, Da-YO aka Bananaboat Song and more
• A digital Songbook including all of the Tavern songs with both the lyrics and the musical notes (PDF Format)
• Exclusive Wallpapers

Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage.

Pirate revenge adventure Raven’s Cry finally has a release date – it will be out on October 14th for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. The TopWare Interactive-developed title, which will be published by Reality Pump, also has a new website out today which showcases more information about the game.

Raven’s Cry will follow Christopher Raven as he seeks to hunt down the pirates who killed his family and took his left hand. The game boasts of a 25 hour play length in an open world setting that has side quests and the odd skirmish or three. You’ll also be able to take advantage of an economic system to trade goods and also take control of pirate ships for naval combat.

You can find out more about Raven’s Cry from our exclusive interview with developer Topware. Are you planning to pick the game up this October? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

GamingBolt spoke CEO of Reality Pump Tadeusz Zuber about the experience, ranging from the inspiration and development of the game to its morality system and combat.

Ravi Sinha: What motivated you to develop Raven’s Cry, especially to make it a pirate game since not many of these titles have really taken off in the past (with the exception of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag)?

Tadeusz Zuber: The short answer is our main character, Christopher Raven. Is there anything cooler than playing as a badass who answers to no one, and cares only about himself?  Whether he’s on a motorcycle, a UFO or a pirate ship, we knew that players would understand and relate to the motivations of Christopher, even though he’s far from the traditional lovable hero. Christopher Raven has a tragic past, and he’s on a quest to find his revenge, and maybe even some kind of peace for his tormented soul.

That core storyline could be set against any backdrop; outer space, the wild west, wherever, but we found our inspiration in the world of pirates.  Exotic locations and lawless seas contribute to a feeling of real freedom that we, as gamers, wanted to explore with Christopher Raven.  We felt the best recent pirate games have opted for a more light-hearted, family oriented tone, but with Raven’s Cry we wanted to go back to the classic roots of pirate lore in literature and film, giving Christopher Raven a truly brutal and cold hearted world to live in.

"Actually, Raven's Cry was announced well before AC4. Some production obstacles arose and had to be overcome, but Raven’s Cry is ready to set sail. We went for a very realistic tone in our title; from having a stripped down HUD to aiming canons without the help of trajectory beams or auto aim."

Ravi Sinha: Raven’s Cry, while taking a darker route towards pirate culture and 17th century events in the Caribbean, bears a very interesting resemblance to Assassin’s Creed in some ways. Did the game serve as an inspiration and if so, in what ways?

Tadeusz Zuber: Actually, Raven’s Cry was announced well before AC4.  Some production obstacles arose and had to be overcome, but Raven’s Cry is ready to set sail. We went for a very realistic tone in our title; from having a stripped down HUD to aiming canons without the help of trajectory beams or auto aim.

I think it’s important to hammer home that this is a pirate game, not just a game that takes place in a pirate setting.  You enter a gritty, cutthroat world where shiny, infallible heroes don’t exist.  Christopher Raven has his own motivations, and like the protagonists in the best Westerns, he’s on a path of destruction that may ultimately lead to redemption.

Ravi Sinha: How did you go about recreating famous places and events from the 17th century Caribbean in Raven’s Cry, and how accurate would they be to their real-life counterparts? What differences can we look forward to seeing?

Tadeusz Zuber: We have passionate people on our team who do nothing other than analyze historical papers, paintings, maps and books. We don’t have them chained to a radiator in a library somewhere either; we’ve got some bona fide history buffs and hardcore pirate enthusiasts on our team. We didn’t want to look at the Caribbean today, and then reimagine how it might have looked hundreds of years ago; we wanted authenticity.

And you wouldn’t believe how much effort members of the Caribbean community contributed to our project.  They sent us research papers that covered nearly every aspect of these locations, and their input went directly into the game.  We got everything as historically accurate as we could while still making an entertaining video game. We want to give a big thank you to all the “pirate-loving-historical-gamers” out there who have helped!

Ravi Sinha: Raven’s Cry features a very complex morality system in that you can use Fear to frighten enemies but at the cost of civility. Along with Notoriety, how does it serve to change and warp the world around you?

Tadeusz Zuber: When we were making Two Worlds II we implemented more story variables, and the result was that gamers were immersed in a richer world. We’ve done the same type of thing here, with the different factions in the game. If you commit a crime, you don’t just get arrested or attacked by “the army”. You can commit specific crimes in specific waters, and your actions will be noticed and dealt with in different ways depending on where you are in the Caribbean.

Also, as Christopher gains a reputation, he can leverage that notoriety against the different factions during trading, combat, or accessing new missions. On the other hand, he may find himself blocked from certain harbors for committing too many crimes in those waters, which will require adjustments in gameplay and how you approach missions as well. There are advantages to be had when you are a known threat, and Christopher will need to utilize his reputation more and more as his enemies grow stronger throughout the game.  

And then there is his hook… which Christopher uses to scare his foes to death in the truest sense of the phrase.

"The close combat is a mix of different approaches. We needed a system in which Christopher can face off against multiple enemies at a time, because this is pivotal to the story. Combat in similar games in the past could be disappointing; we didn’t want a blocking stance that was too powerful, for example."

Ravi Sinha: Is there more than one ending for Raven’s Cry, depending on the player’s moral actions?

Tadeusz Zuber: You’ll have to find out for yourself! It wouldn’t be any fun if we told you everything! Let’s just say there are a few different ways for Christopher to get the one thing he wants above all else.

Ravi Sinha: How does the combat work in the game? Will there be options for parrying and racking up combos, or will there be a simple block/attack, hack-and-slash style of combat?

Tadeusz Zuber: The close combat is a mix of different approaches. We needed a system in which Christopher can face off against multiple enemies at a time, because this is pivotal to the story.  Combat in similar games in the past could be disappointing; we didn’t want a blocking stance that was too powerful, for example.  It’s boring to be surrounded by attacking enemies, just holding your block button, followed by countering all those enemies with a flurry of sword swings.  

Raven’s Cry has a more dynamic, hack-and-slash approach combined with well known elements of free-floating-combat systems.  Christopher Raven has a sword and hook, and he knows how to use them.  Combos and blocking are still very important, but this character has the ability to tear through enemies at will.  Sometimes throwing yourself into the middle of a battle is the best way to win!

Ravi Sinha: Are there certain ways to dispose of enemies in the game that lessen the suffering aspect? Can the game be played in a non-violent or at least non-murderous fashion?

Tadeusz Zuber: Christopher Raven is the scarred, flawed product of a beautiful, but brutal world. You can choose the way he travels down his path, but his reality is that sometimes there is no “good” option. Raven’s Cry is an action game that stays true to its violent environment.  Honestly, who wants to see Conan the Barbarian without any sword fighting or violence?  The core storytelling is derived from the suffering in Christopher’s life. He isn’t a sneaking assassin, or a reluctant hero; he’s a young man with a past and a destiny that have forged him into a pirate-hunting pirate.

"We have opened much of the Caribbean Sea and the Spanish Main to players, from Greater to Lesser Antilles, along with the coast of South America. This world is accessible from the moment players hoist their sails, while other locations must be unlocked. Entering a city where pirates are not welcome may require making certain alliances. "

Ravi Sinha: What can you tell us about the Pirate charms? What kind of magic will the players have access to?

Tadeusz Zuber: Most magical elements, including charms, were scrapped a long time ago.  We didn’t want to create a pirate sorcerer who finds a crystal that allows him to disintegrate his enemies, or shoot fireballs out of his eyes…  Raven’s Cry will contain some very small voodoo elements, but nothing more than that.

We cannot really reveal too much in that regard without spoiling some of the experience, but we can offer a hint; don’t think of voodoo as being in the realm of black magic, spells or demons, but more in terms of the unknown, the misunderstood and the terrifying – yet physical and strictly grounded in reality.

Take voodoo powders for example, a fabled staple of horror movies; the powders are real objects that exist in our world, but of course they have no magic in them. What they do have is the still under-analyzed composition that allows them to exert certain uncommon effects on their users – or on their hapless victims. That their effects may seem like dark magic to those who fear them… well, that’s what makes them genuinely powerful.

Ravi Sinha: How big of a world will the game have? Will it be an open world and how is the mission structure shaping up?

Tadeusz Zuber: We have opened much of the Caribbean Sea and the Spanish Main to players, from Greater to Lesser Antilles, along with the coast of South America. This world is accessible from the moment players hoist their sails, while other locations must be unlocked. Entering a city where pirates are not welcome may require making certain alliances.  

Accessing a dock where pirates are not only unwelcome but hanged on sight will require some clever planning. As the plot develops and more missions become available, players will also keep learning of new places to visit (not all islands have been charted, after all; at least not on the official maps) to collect new rewards and to face new dangers.

Ravi Sinha: Naval battles are confirmed to be in the game. What kind of gameplay mechanics have you employed to make it unique?

Tadeusz Zuber: Again our approach was to make these battles as realistic as possible, without sacrificing fun. Don’t expect any helpful light beams showing you your canon ball trajectories; we want players to feel the heat of these sea-battles.  As the captain of a ship, players can do a variety of things, including jumping behind the cannons and making adjustments in order to ensure an accurate shot. Each ship has its own feel as well. The small and swift schooner might be perfect for a fast getaway, whereas the heavily armored war galleon is a challenge to steer, but exactly what you need for all-out battles.

"The experience points needed to build up skills will be awarded for completing tasks, discovering new islands and forgotten treasures, eliminating enemies on land, winning sea battles and more."

Ravi Sinha: Will Raven’s Cry have different kinds of activities related to exploration and collectible hunting?

Tadeusz Zuber: Christopher Raven has a single-minded purpose when it comes to righting the wrongs done to him.  He is hell-bent on revenge, and will do whatever it takes, including collecting leads and information through torture and violence as he hunts down the men who destroyed his life. He will have tasks to complete, but they will all serve Christopher’s ultimate goal.  Can you imagine this type of character hunting rabbits and collecting flowers?

Ravi Sinha: Will the game have any type of skill tree system and leveling up?

Tadeusz Zuber: Absolutely.  The skill tree is a tried-and-true concept. The experience points needed to build up skills will be awarded for completing tasks, discovering new islands and forgotten treasures, eliminating enemies on land, winning sea battles and more.  Certain skills will only become available if other skills have already been learned. Some three dozen skills will be accessible, and they come in five types – General Skills, the Landlubber’s Skills, the Sea Wolf’s Skills, the Captain’s Skills, and last but not certainly not least, the Raven’s Skills, possessed by our antihero’s trusted companion – his black raven.

While we are, of course, setting a maximum available level for the skills, it will actually be possible to go beyond that level on some occasions – all thanks to experienced officers who can be hired as part of the crew. Since the officers are unique characters with their own traits, they will add their knowledge and strength to the player’s crew, thereby letting some skills grow even higher than theoretically possible.

The title is currently set to be released on May 7th of 2014 on Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Despite a Microsoft Windows planned release of Raven’s Cry, there’s no official statement referencing a digital download option yet, meaning until confirmed otherwise the title will only be available at retail. Despite the claims that the game will feature a combination of fictional Pirates as well as their real life counterparts, it will retain a historically accurate portrayal of the ruthless seafaring rogues.

• 1. Story
• 2. Gameplay

Story

Christopher Raven is a young Scottish citizen who boards a ship alongside his family in hopes of travelling to the new world (most often American shores) to escape the famine of the later stages of the 17th century. Somewhere near Jamaica their ship came under attack and Christopher (now missing his left hand) is left behind as the only survivor of the attack. This is this basis of his journey across the high seas in pursuit of those who killed his family and left him for dead. Thus begins the vengeful tale of Christopher Raven.

Gameplay

The main story component of Raven’s Cry is divided into individual chapters. The player (Christopher Raven) will be hacking and slashing his way through enemies with blades, engage foes at long range through the use of period accurate flintlock weaponry and make use of a Raven Familiar whilst travelling  through a variety of environments ranging from the stereotypical  port towns of the Caribbean all the way up to the richly antiquated lands of the Aztec people.

Christopher, (who lost his left hand after being left for dead in the aftermath of a Pirate attack somewhere in mainland Jamaica) has had his missing hand replaced with a hook and makes use of the Raven Familiar to scout the area for enemies. The game also makes use of a number or role playing game mechanics, these include a morality system, numerous and a variety of side quests. The world you’re travelling through will change how they act towards you in accordance with the nature of your crimes and/or conquests.

When Christopher kills enemies he will accumulate a combat resource known as “fear”, this can be used to intimidate enemies and scare them away, or saved up to use a super attack, an apparent downside is that if you don’t scare off everyone in the vicinity, they will all become hostile towards you. Notoriety is a system and gameplay mechanic that works identically to that found in Assassins Creed. Notorious crimes (murder, senseless violence etc) will result in your notoriety going up, this will in turn impact how the natives and locals of the areas you visit will treat you and react to your presence.

Players can expect to encounter Navy Battles when upon the seas and even participate in one on one duels with certain characters in a battle to the death. Originally (before the game was further refined), players would have made use of various weapons that spanned the 17th century including the Axe-rifle (effectively a 17th century Gears of Wars Lancer) and a Sword-pistol (not to be confused with the ballistic knife), it’s actually a knife with a revolver like weapon attached to it. Christopher could also make use of a number of Pirate charms that would have conveyed special abilities, like invincibility, summon ravens to attack the enemy (similar to the rats in Dishonored), boost your speed and the strength of your attacks and even cast some magical abilities. Sadly however this has been changed, magic has been cut from the game to help the game keep a more historically accurate theme. These cuts also include the axe rifle amongst other “fancy stuff” that was part of the original concept. With that being said, historically accurate weapons will still allow the player to engage in swash buckling fights with their opponents.

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.