Action RPG Empyreal Runs Deep

Fans of action RPGs are demanding. In this post-Souls universe, we want the world-building, systems, mechanics, challenge, visuals and everything else to be just right. With as many opinions as there are variables for what constitutes ‘just right’, making a one-size-fits-all ARPG is an impossible task. However, one small team with an uncompromising vision is making a convincing bid to join the elite of the genre. Empyreal from independent studio Silent Games and publisher Secret Mode is set for release on May 8th, and Intel Gaming Access went deep with studio co-founder Joseph Rogers to find out what it took to make it.

If there’s one word that comes up frequently with Empyreal, it’s ‘depth’, as applied to everything from the game’s systems to its narrative. “Empyreal is a complex, challenging action RPG about transcendental revelation. It’s made to be a ‘true RPG’ with a thought-provoking story,” says Rogers. “It’s for experienced RPG and action players who enjoy games with significant depth, with many mechanics and systems to master, and a story that gives you something to ponder long after you’ve finished playing.”

“Players will experience a unique combat system supported by a slightly absurd number of RPG systems,” continues Rogers. To give context to that claim, in the game you can use three weapon archetypes, with each type having several abilities, of which there are over 50 to choose from. Most abilities also have a ‘modified’ version that’s unlocked via a set bonus, and there are 18 sets to collect in the game. On top of all that, there are over 100 stats that are randomly generated on the equipment you find, but you can also manually adjust these stats via the crafting system to fine-tune your build. Deep enough for you? They’re just getting started.

“There are also ‘passive abilities’ in the game which are exclusively rewarded from completing a character quest line, but all characters have at least two endings to their quest, and which passive you unlock depends on your choices which lead to different conclusions to those quests,” says Rogers. “I could go on, but as a final illustration, if you wanted to collect absolutely everything, for example unlock all achievements, that would require a minimum of two and a half playthroughs!”

Empyreal features a broad cast of characters, each with their own personal quest line and multiple endings. Players will start these quests naturally as they play through the game, as long as they take the time to meet and talk to each character, sometimes in unexpected ways. “If you’d like to get to know characters better, they all have a favourite drink you can share with them,” says Rogers. “If you find a new drink such as Orden Brown Ale or A Drop of Godfrey’s Blood (rum), consider who might be partial to it, and if you find them at nighttime in the Mess Hall, give it to them and they’ll open up to you.” It’s a small detail, but illustrates the team’s efforts in loading Empyreal with many such joyful treats for players to discover with a little effort.

When it comes to outside inspirations, there are some familiar names on the list. “On the gameplay side the main influences are Dragon’s Dogma, Nioh and isometric RPGs like Diablo and Path of Exile,” says Rogers. “Our game is third-person, but we have many systems that are more commonly found in isometric ARPGs.” On the world-building side of things, the team has gone to town with the game’s thoughtful approach to storytelling. “The narrative is filled with references to history, philosophy, theology and literature,” continues Rogers. “The overarching theme is ‘humanity’s journey through history’, examining civilisational progress and what humanity’s place in the cosmos truly is.” There’s that depth again.

When it comes to performance, there’s more than enough gameplay excitement to merit a decent PC rig. “Empyreal is fairly fast-paced – it has many RPG systems, but it is definitely an action RPG,” says Rogers. “Achieving a good frame rate is absolutely essential to having a smooth experience with combat like that.” Aside from the obvious first step of meeting the minimum recommended spec, Rogers has other thoughts on getting the most out of the game: “I recommend playing with a controller but that is more of a personal preference – keyboard and mouse are fully supported, and you can of course rebind all inputs if you don’t like the defaults.”

One important technological assist on the performance side of things has been born out of the team’s collaboration with Intel. “This is the first time we’ve teamed up with Intel, and we couldn’t be happier,” says Rogers. “Integration of XeSS into our game project was incredibly straightforward. We were able to integrate XeSS into our Unreal Engine game project within minutes and see performance results on our next development build.”

Given the game’s use of some of the latest graphical tools from Unreal Engine 5, overall performance was something the team kept a close eye on throughout development. “Intel XeSS gave us an additional tool to empower PC players with more customization options to tailor their gaming experience,” Rogers explains. “On many hardware setups, we’re seeing performance boosts from using XeSS as opposed to restricting the user to the out-of-the-box anti-aliasing and super resolution solutions that come with the engine.”

As the launch of Empyreal approaches, the team is laser-focused on nailing its landing before getting distracted by whatever comes next. “We have some ideas in the works, but beyond that it’s too early to comment,” says Rogers. So, all eyes on Empyreal, and if you like your action RPGs with plenty of depth as well as pace, it could be just what you’re looking for.

Empyreal releases on May 8th. Wishlist Empyreal now on Steam.