Hello PlayStation fans! I’m Peter Nagy, Creative Director at Games Farm, developers of the dark, story-driven RPG Shadows: Awakening will release September 4 for PS4. Shadows: Awakening sees you play as a soul-devouring demon, who must consume the souls of fallen heroes to extend his reach from the shadow realm to the world of mortals.
In your quest to bring order (or chaos) to the Heretic Kingdoms, you’ll need to master a whole host of fun and innovative gameplay features. Which is where we come in! So without further ado, here are six things you need to know about Shadows: Awakening.
A one-man (or, er – demon) party
Who ever said possessing a soul would be easy? Taking the form of a fallen champion may be child’s play for the Devourer, but their personalities and memories remain. In Shadows: Awakening, the traditional RPG ‘party’ is contained in a single host – you. You can change your character at the push of a button to suit the situation. However, their personalities are still present at every single moment, so characters talk to each other and share their perspective on your actions.
At the beginning of the game you’ll consume one of three powerful souls, who will become your ‘main’ character for the rest of the story. Each soul has very different storylines, motivations and dialogues. For example, Evia has been dead for almost 300 years, while the bandit king Kalig was murdered just a few years ago. Playing as each of these characters brings very different experiences, so completionists will definitely want to play through the game multiple times to experience the full story.
Two realms to explore
Demons live in the dark parallel reality known as the Shadow Realm, and most of them have no way of accessing the Mortal Realm. But the Devourer is able to cross the border between worlds by consuming the souls of the living – allowing you to switch realms instantly at any time, even in the middle of battle! You’ll need to master this ability in combat, solving environmental puzzles and undertaking quests. Both realities have more than their fair share of secrets, and only the most eagle-eyed players will discover it all.
Unique tactical combat
The RPG mechanics diversify enemies in the game and you will need to configure your party to overcome the powers of the strong enemies, discover their weaknesses and defeat the bosses eventually. Combine this with two worlds, unique various characters and the tactics becomes more and more important. Especially on higher difficulties – note that there are several difficulties in the game to grant the right challenge for every player.
Synergy System
All of the playable characters are unique, each with their own skills and equipment. However, skilled players won’t play solo – you’re a one-demon party, remember? By switching between characters during combat, you can combine skills on the fly (and even between realms) to boost their effects. Only those that master the Synergy system and combine their character’s abilities will manage to defeat the powerful boss enemies awaiting you in the Heretic Kingdoms.
Explore the Heretic Kingdoms
The world (well, two worlds actually) is full of hidden treasures, secrets and puzzles. Whether you’re shifting between realms to gain a tactical advantage in combat, or exploring every nook and cranny to find more hidden treasures and locations, the environment is key in Shadows: Awakening. If that wasn’t enough, a myriad selection of challenging puzzles can open up access to secret dungeons and other rewards.
Bear the weight of your decisions
Your choices in the story of Shadows: Awakening will affect the fate of the Heretic Kingdoms. As well as several different endings to unlock, the Devourer itself will changed based on your actions. Will you give in to your dark side, or become something more… benevolent? The choice is yours.
Shadows: Awakening launches September 4, so I hope that this short view into the game gives you some insight into what you can expect when you start your adventure into the Heretic Kingdoms. If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, then we have a brand new gameplay trailer taking you deeper into the world you are about to experience. We hope you enjoy your time with Shadows: Awakening and look forward to hearing your thoughts on our engrossing new game.
