Godfallwas unveiled as Playstation 5’s first next-generation game at The Game Awards 2019, showcasing stellar in-engine graphics and stylistic characters. Upon first glance, fans may just viewGodfallas another game starring heroes in a medieval-fantasy RPG setting caught in a battle between good and evil. Yet, there is much more at play here, andGodfallcould be a major online coop smash-hitwhich breaks old formulas and offers gamers something refreshingly new, and accessible, for both casual and hardcore players in the same vein thatDestinyhas offered fans since its release.
Godfallhas some initial characteristics that strongly resembleDestinyas well. Similar toDestiny,Godfallhas three primary character classes to choose from, and also similar toDestiny’s3-person fire teams,Godfallallows for 3-player drop-in-anytime coop. It would be a simplification and a major disservice to simply mistake this for being a melee combat hack-and-slash version ofDestiny, however.
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GodfallresemblesDestinyin terms of its accessibility in bringing many elements from other genres together to provide a new type of experience that many type of gamers can get behind. It resemblesDestinyin this manner far more so than the specifics of its core mechanics and specific elements, though it certainly shares some inspiration in regards to that as well.
What is not so clear at this point is whetherGodfall’smaps will be designed as instanceswhere other players are present, seamlessly traversing the map, even if they are not part of one’s team. This would be similar toDestiny’susage of light MMO elements, yet it is important to realize that those elements arguably were not among the specific mechanics that madeDestinyattractable to a wide array of player types.
In fact, it may have been one ofDestiny’sweaker selling points, as the MMO enthusiasts were probably the demographic of gamers most put off byDestinybecause they saw it as a failure to fully flesh out a seamless MMO world. As for other types of gamers, it was a non-issue since they were not familiar with MMOs in the first place, and alreadyDestinyoffered far more seamless player interaction than what they were used to. Furthermore, thePC platform becameDestiny’s most popular platform, where normally MMOs thrive.Godfallmay resemble something akin to theBorderlands' franchise, with the ability for players to seamlessly drop in, but the map instances do not surpass 3 players.
Godfallis referred to as a “looter slasher”, which may sound as if it is a melee combat version of a “looter shooter”, akin toDestiny2 orBorderlands 3, fulfilling that fast paced itch which offers constant upgrades from collecting loot, which drops at quick intervals from the plenty of enemies to dispose of.
Upon first inspection, one could assume that this game may be more akin to a hack-and-slash game such asDiablo 3,butit is important to understand the evolution of the term “looter shooter” to understand where the term “looter slasher” presumably came from. Looter shooters are essentially fully 3D worlds to explore, but offer the more singular element derived from isometric hack-and-slashARPG games such asDiablo, which offer the constant loot drops and hordes of enemies to slay. However, looter shooters typically offer much more deep experiences for players who want more than a game that fixates on that particular itch it fulfills.
WhileGodfallpresumably includes the looting elements its “looter slasher” label is named after, and appears to take place in a medieval-fantasy world, one could make the mistake of assuming this game as simply returning to the origins of the ARPG genre inspired byDiablo, to which the looter shooter genre borrowed its core elements. However, it would be superficial to fixate uponGodfall’smedieval-fantasy setting and usage of melee combat to determine such a conclusion.
Whilelooter shooter games such asDestiny2brought elements of isometric RPGs into the first-person shooter genre and evolved far beyond that,Godfallrepresents a game that has evolved more directly from of looter shooters. After all, a looter shooter is not merely a ranged-combat version of ARPGs, so it would be a mistake to assumeGodfallis merely such. Similar to whatDestinystarted,Godfallhas its own unique elements in which it borrows elements from other genres as well, and fleshes out something that is uniquely its own style.
Based on interviews withGodfall’sCreative Director, Keith Lee, the combat is inspired by theMonster Hunterseries' gameplay, where learning combos and the strategic nuances of each weapon will be essential. This is whereGodfallclearly and heavily separates itself from the combat in an isometric ARPG such asDiabloand stands on its own ground. It seems thatGodfall’sclasses are determined more loosely based on what the player chooses to equip themselves with, rather than strictly linear class systems seen in conventional RPGs or even most shooter looters.
Another treat fans may be able to expect is the game’s overall style, aesthetic, and storytelling ofGodfall, which will be attractable to a widespread audience, much of which may be ready for a different shade of fantasy than what has seen over the last decade. Keith Lee has stated the world-building and overall tone of the game is influenced byJoe Abercrombie’sThe First Lawtrilogy. If done well, fans could be in for a real treat, andGodfallcould shake-up the fantasy genre in video games in similar waysDragon Agedid so a decade ago when it brought the darker and grittier fantasy elements ofGame of Thronesto the foray of console RPGs.
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Joe Abercrombie essentially founded a sub-genre within fantasy known as “grimdark fantasy” which has had a major influence on literary fantasy over the last decade. Grimdark fantasy took some of the unique innovations of the darker and grittier themes whichGame of Thrones(or more specifically, its literary counterpart,A Song of Ice and Fire) brought to the fantasy genre in the 1990s. Abercrombie also added some darker humor to its fantasy tone and overall storytelling, and perhaps a tint of contemporary noir in some cases.
Even from cues gathered fromGodfall’strailer, there are some hints of characters that demonstrate a subtle tint of humor in the few lines we can pick up, which reflect slightly differently than traditional fantasy heroes in video-games which resonate a much more serious and formal tone that is more attractable to those who have a specific appetite for the fantasy genre. In other words, grimdark fantasy made the genre trendy, stylistic, and attractable to both newcomers and traditional fantasy fans alike.
Godfallappears to be fleshing itself out to become its own unique experience, which borrows from elements of various genres and establishes something refreshingly new in both tone, style, and gameplay. It perhaps most resemblesDestinynot so much in its particular particular elements, but in its accessibility of borrowing from various genres and providing an experience that casual, hardcore, and mainstream video game audiences can enjoy, as well as particular gamer types with specific appetites among other genres.
Destinybrought many new players into the mix by combining some elements of open world RPG’s, onlineMMOsand ARPGs and science fiction in its world setting and style. It is safe to say that the averageDestinyplayer probably does not describe themselves as an enthusiast specific to any one of those particular genres. In looking at the games thatGodfallis inspired by, such as Monster Hunter, and some of the same genresDestinywas originally inspired by as well, we can conclude that those genres typically have more niche audiences on their own.
Those particular genres typically fulfill a certain type of itch that a particular gamer is looking for. But they are by no means known for being universally accessible across a vast player base in the wayDestinyhas achieved in its widespread attraction.Godfallmost vividly resemblesDestiny’swidespread accessibility in presenting something potentially attractable for all types of gamers to enjoy. In similar vein toDestiny, it does this by aiming for a game experience that is both familiar, and yet refreshingly new and different, whether or not a particular gamer type is specifically enthusiastic about fantasy, tactical melee combat or online play.
Godfallis currently in development for release in late 2020 for PC and Playstation 5.
