I'm very excited to announce that the game's release date is less than two weeks away! Once Glorious Artahk is a project that I've been working on for several years now, and thinking about for even longer. I can't wait to be able to share it with you!
As the launch date approaches, I'm going to be sharing a few more in-depth look at some of the features the game has in store to make sure you're prepared to face the challenges ahead.
The Tome of Apocrypha
One of the most important aspects of the game is the rich lore that you'll uncover as you explore the ruins of Artahk. The core gameplay loop revolves around discovering "words of power" by solving puzzles that you use to unlock new stories through the most important tool at your disposal: The Tome of Apocrypha. It plays such a pivotal role that the original working title for the game was simply "Apocrypha"!
With the tome in your hands, you'll be able to uncover over 90 different lore entries giving you insight into the darkened world of Artahk. You'll learn about the history of the city, of the rise and fall of monarchs great and terrible, of twisted bargains and forgotten treachery, of magical spirits and eldritch power beyond the veil, of doomed expeditions that tried to tread your same path, of the truth of how the world was cast into endless night, the secret to returning light to the sky, and so much more. I can't wait for you to be able to sink your teeth into it!
But, this lore is not just there to flesh out the setting—you'll need to use what you learn to progress in the game! That was the driving idea for Once Glorious Artahk from the start, to merge lore and gameplay in a way that brings it to the forefront of the experience. Within the stories you uncover, you'll find hints toward what you need to do to progress, and certain puzzles directly rely on information you can only find in the lore. You'll need to explore not just the physical space of Artahk, but its history as well in your search for answers.
As one example of this close connection between the lore and your in-game investigation: There are a few different skeletons scattered around the ruins. Every single one actually has a backstory of who it was and how they ended up where you find them that keen readers will be able to identify. And if you know who it is, maybe there could be more useful information you can glean from their story...
Till the stars shine again,
Bismuth Tales
