Funcom are trying their hand at the multiplayer survival genre in the form of a new Conan game. Conan Exiles has just launched its first announcement trailer which showcases gameplay and some fairly impressive features.
Survival games have flooded the market in recent years and many players have become burnt out with the genre and the mechanics involved. It is fairly arguable that for Conan Exiles to succeed, it will have to do something unique to attract players to the game. With so many survival games starting in early access and remaining there for significant periods of time, players may be put off by Conan’s arrival in early access in January 2017.
Funcom talked a little about the player experience in the game saying “You start with nothing but your bare hands and forge the legacy of your clan, from simple tools and weapons to gigantic fortresses and entire cities. Enslave the bandits of the exiled lands to do your bidding by breaking them on the grueling Wheel of Pain. Sacrifice the beating hearts of your enemies on the blood-soiled altars of your god to seize true power and glory. Summon the colossal avatar of your god and see them lay waste to your enemies and their homes.”
Exiles does have the benefit of being developed by a well-established MMO developer, which lends some credibility to the game, so it could be fairly safe to assume that the game will get finished, but nothing is certain. The trailer itself shows some gameplay that looks promising, even to a skeptic like myself.
I was particularly impressed with the two giant creatures, player made structures, and first person combat. The art style also looks agreeable with that distinct Funcom Conan aesthetic. The developers have also promised that this game won’t just be an empty sandbox and will, in fact, contain story and things to uncover from ancient civilizations.
