Hopetown, a nonlinear RPG developed by Longdue Games, introduces a refreshing twist to narrative-driven gameplay. Founded by former employees of ZA/UM, Rockstar Games, and Bungie, the studio has unveiled its first glimpse into the game's mechanics, positioning Hopetown as a spiritual successor to the acclaimed Disco Elysium. The storyline revolves around a journalist who wakes up in a mining town after a night of heavy drinking. Battling a severe hangover, players are tasked with reconstructing the events of the previous night while navigating an escalating local conflict. Choices made by the player will determine whether they work to de-escalate tensions or intensify the situation.
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Screenshots of the game showcase a dialogue-rich experience where players' decisions have a profound impact on the unfolding narrative. Players can choose from multiple archetypes, each providing distinct dialogue options and approaches to interactions. For instance, when conversing with an elderly woman feeding pigeons, players can select different tones, which in turn, influence the conversation's outcome.
Longdue Games is gearing up to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund Hopetown, with an active page already set up on the platform. Although no official release date has been announced, excitement is mounting among fans of narrative-focused RPGs.
Hopetown isn't the only game inspired by Disco Elysium. Two other studios, Dark Math Games and Summer Eternal, are also developing their own psychological RPGs, adding to the growing genre.
