Alta, the creative minds behind the 2021 hit A Township Tale, have been busy crafting their next clever venture: a dungeon-crawler extraction game named REAVE. They recently unveiled some intriguing developments, including a sneak peek at a new dungeon and enemy design, although it’s worth noting that everything is still under the development hood for now.
In the latest developer log, you’ll find a glimpse of several updated systems and regions within the game, spotlighting the standout feature— an expansive area dubbed ‘The Fallen Bastion’. According to Sean Ellis, the lead environment artist, this setting is a delightful mix of open expanses and narrower nooks. It’s a place where light and shadow play crucial roles, offering spots to lay ambushes or avoid foes.
Smack dab in the middle of this vast room is a magical pedestal. Here, players can kickstart a boss battle. Currently, that’s against a giant spider. Alta is using this creepy-crawly as a temporary stand-in for more intricate boss encounters planned down the line, so it’s just a test run for now.
The developers are not sitting still; they are busy tweaking and refining already-established areas within the game. Some of these sections might see such dramatic changes that they could essentially be swapped out entirely in future updates.
Additionally, a new enemy model is waiting in the wings. This newcomer is set to replace the placeholder skeleton models, and will come in varying difficulties, each sporting different weapons and armor that ratchet up the challenge for players.
One of REAVE’s most engaging elements is its in-world currency: Echoes (a name that might just be temporary). Players can gather these valuable resources, which gradually accumulate in a vessel as they progress.
As players defeat enemies, Echoes are released, but there’s also a treasure hunt aspect; Echoes can be found throughout the environment. This design prompts players to juggle defeating opponents, scavenging, and using their collected Echoes strategically—either to enter treasure rooms or to break free from dungeons and retreat to social spaces where they can trade their hard-earned loot.
If you’re eager to dive into this world early, Alta offers a chance to become a tester through their Discord community. Details are scarce on the official release date, but Rest assured, REAVE is being crafted with the Oculus Quest 2 and later models in mind, alongside compatibility for PC VR headsets.
