#EGX2014: Preview – Kickstart this!: Eminence: Xander’s Tales
I had the pleasure of meeting the team behind Eminence: Xander’s Tales during EGX in the Indie area and got some time on with their game that’s currently on Kickstarter. They are £31,000 into their £50,000 goal with a week to go!
Xander’s Tales is being sold as an MMORPG crossed with a trading card game set in a world where science and fantasy collide. Melding the strategic gameplay of TCGs and the community and some features that MMORPGs offer the player. The card game is said to be inspired by Triple Triad, but anyone that has played Evoland will recognise this card game – which I personally enjoyed very much.
Eminence is set in the world of Artalys, which is currently on the brink of a cycle of destruction that happens once every 10,000 years due to a dying sun. In light of the planet’s impending doom, the Aeterna Empire has broken its alliance with the Ixion and Wilkurse causing a massive war for possession of the relics that provide the powers of Alchemy. Play as the disciple of Xander, a legendary alchemist who has experienced the calamities and destruction of the previous cycle, in a bid to change the fate of the planet by fulfilling an ancient prophecy.
Customise your character with the various hair, face and skin colour options before you set into the world. You can equip your character with various items from defeating enemies to add traits and abilities to your character – the Kickstarter page leaves a warning of thinking about what you quips your character with, as it will affect your story mode battles.
The game has two modes, the story mode in which you play through the story of Artalys and then the multiplayer online mode, though it is promised that these will be seamlessly integrated. Story mode consists of story battles against mobs and enemies that will progress you along, alternatively the multiplayer combat allows you to interact with people that are in the area to battle against them and win cards.
Each player has a set of 5 cards with a playable battlefield of 9 slots. The 4 sides of the cards have a number, and to capture another player’s card you must play a card with a higher number. Whoever has the most amounts of claimed cards on the board wins! Though it’s probably better to watch the video to get a better picture of the combat, then trying to work it out from me just talking about it.
They have a playable demo of the game up on their Kickstarter page, so make sure to go and check it out here. Eminence: Xander’s Tales is also up for Steam Greenlight here, if you would like to also vote for them. Eminence: Xander’s Tales will aim for a mobile/tablet and desktop release. Watch this space as their progression developes.