Zagreus

Key Features

• The thought for this game was to try a different take on the usual immortal kind of character, in that the player character could die from natural or unnatural causes, but be reborn into a new life and into a new age but always come back to the same area
• Indicators of past life choices would also be evident in future ages through news papers, books, NPC stories, etc showcasing how the player choices changed things in the world around them
• The area would change with time so it would be both familiar and unfamiliar in parts due to the progression of time
• The player, instead of the usual character progression in which one gains XP and chooses individual skills, the idea here is that because the player character is reborn to a new family, in a new time, that that progression would then be dependent on the new background/upbringing. Each family they are born too could be from a different economic background or trade offering the new skills, background and abilities that player could then choose from
• Skill progression would then be incremental if similar skills were available in the new background or new skills acquired would add to the list.
• The project displayed in the videos above showcase how the levels and player character could change and evolve over time; the town grows and different architectural designs influences are shown, the church appears, the dock changes over time, the trees grow, the pond water gets polluted and the plants in the cave grow and eventually give off their own natural light, the farms change depending on population and imports to the island town, subtle changes to pathways

Download a .zip file containing an example paper prototype (similar to a CCG), controller layouts, and game vision

Vision Statement

Thematic Statement

An open world RPG about being reborn at different periods in time, and always returning to the same area during each period, experiencing and exploring how the area changes throughout time.

A game about being constantly reborn, the game will have the player character die and be reborn to new parents in the same village (and forward in time), and slowly remember things from the past; of the lives s/he once lived. The player will have the opportunity to change gender and race throughout the different time periods. The village s/he once belonged too will of course age throughout time and people come and go; the surrounding area will also be reflect the new time periods. A RPG game in which the player will revisit locations (and discover new ones) in the same area throughout time, similar in play style to recent Assassin’s Creed games (Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla), played in third person.

Core Statement

Instead of simply being a game about an immortal who cannot die, in Zagreus the player character can and will die but will be reborn during another age. Player skills and abilities will be upgraded and evolve throughout time as well. The morality system will not only determine the final ending of the game, but will influence how future generations view the actions of the player character in the past.

Overview

Zagreus will be an open world RPG adventure throughout time, starting in the Stone Ages and ending in the far future; moving from a fantasy setting to a science fiction like setting. The player character gaining and evolving skills and abilities as well as new equipment and items to find.

Interactions with NPC characters will have an effect on the overall game in that the decisions the player makes will have far reaching ramifications (both good and bad) throughout the rest of time. The playable area will evolve and change throughout time as well with familiar landmarks and locations reminding the player of the time that has passed. Notes, books, and people will also tell stories from the past both factually as well as with a twist in the historical facts (as does often happen when retelling stories… the player character lived it, but people in the future only have stories in which to rely on)

Vision

The world of this game will be similar to a real-world location but at different periods of time. The main character will always find his way home so the game play will always be there (Name to be determined) but the layout of the village/town will change depending on the time period.

The location will start in the Stone Age with visual landmarks that will be recognizable to the player.

If the player character dies during the age/level, there is a potential to lose gear (which they can store knowing they’ll be reborn) and not receiving important skills or abilities by not living long enough.

A morality system depends on the players choices (not always through obvious choices on the screen as given choices or through dialogue), their actions playing a big part in how the morality system determines the moral values of the player character. Stealing, helping others, murder, etc will all have an effect on the morality system. Depending on the morality of the player character will depend on how people (NPCs) interact with the player (and how future stories the player finds later in different times periods about their actions that were written down for historical purposes). It is reset with each life.

Concept

Designed for console, an action RPG game that will emphasize the changes a single place can changes throughout time and how a single person can grow with it.

Third person camera with a similar distance and angle to Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey (but not Valhalla), the player will see the area they were born to at different points in time, starting with the Stone Ages and ending far into a science fiction future, allowing the player to experience weapons and skills based around the technologies and abilities of that time.

Seemingly born to normal parents in a small village in the stone ages, the player will also have choices that will affect a morality meter which will have an effect on the story as well. Historical notes that the player may find in different time periods will reference the acts the player had chosen to do, emphasizing the consequences of their morality choices.

While gaining new levels, the player will have the option to learn new skills or upgrade existing ones as they learn and build on their existing knowledge from the past to meet with that of the present time. Examples include learning to ride and care for a horse could lead to learning how to ride in a saddle and then a cart; knowing how to use a bow and arrow leading to a rifle; survival skills from living in the wilderness can lead to survival in a large town; battering for goods could be upgraded to knowing how to appraise goods during all time periods.

The antagonist of the game is actually the player characters future self who is attempting to stop the player from stopping them from either ruling of helping humanity grow and prosper. The morality system will define who the future self is such that if the player plays a predominately good character, then their future evil self is trying to stop them from being good, while the reverse of an evil player characters future good self is attempting to stop the player character from being evil

Competitive Statement

This game is unique in how the concept of immortality is used. The player can die, and will die and then be reborn in a new age. Dying too soon can leave unfinished quests and stories from the past (which will have their own set of consequences).

Upgrading skills to meet new technologies and time periods is also unique. Instead of just learning a set of skills to meet the time period in which most games are played, skills here will have a tree that will have dependencies that must be learned first in a particular time. Players may learn brand new skills, however the process will be more difficult and costly to achieve.

Although the explorable world will not be as large as some other open world games, such as the Assassin’s Creed games, Zagreus will offset with changes to the same map over millions of years.

As well as building on existing skills throughout time would be different from the Assassin’s Creed games in that the same skill can be upgraded to similar skills to match the unique ways and items of the time period the player character currently resides in

The morality system will also allow for interesting story points that can change or pieces of information depending on the decisions the player makes throughout time. Is the player Jack the Ripper or did the player actually stop Jack the Ripper?