Greetings all! Our small team at Woodsy Studio is so happy to announce that Echoes of the Fey - Episode 2: The Last Sacrament is finally released! This is our first big release of a game made in Unreal Engine 4, and also the most ambitious game we've ever made in general. We've poured a lot of tears into this project and thought many times that we wouldn't make it to the finish line... but here we are! And we hope that as a result, this is the best game we've made yet.
The Echoes of the Fey series mixes a high fantasy setting with the mysteries and conspiracies of pulp detective fiction. Play as Sofya Rykov, a private investigator with a secret of her own: she is the only Human able to wield unlimited magic. Her country of Oraz is recovering from a 30-year war between Humans and Leshin (elves) over the use of Fey energy, so her unstable magic is best kept secret.
Each episode *stands alone* as a story. Playing previous episodes may provide extra insights into the story and characters, but is not required.
In The Last Sacrament, Sofya’s loyalty grows divided when she is hired for one job and blackmailed into another. Sofya’s childhood love and the Emperor’s daughter, Katerina, seeks her protection from threats near the border. Katerina’s rival Nikolai, a ruthless local politician, needs a dangerous drug stolen from the powerful Krovakyn Church and has the leverage to force Sofya to do it. All the while, Katerina and Nikolai clash over control over the city—and Sofya’s heart.
Large segments of The Last Sacrament will play as a point and click adventure game with dialogue in the traditional style of a visual novel. But unlike earlier Woodsy Studio games, The Last Sacrament also features an in-world tabletop RPG called RiftRealms. Inspired by story-focused pen and paper games, Sofya will play RiftRealms games with various supporting characters as dungeon master. Players will both build a character in RiftRealms to fight increasingly more powerful foes, and learn about the key players in Sofya’s life through how they choose to tell a RiftRealms story.
While the characters of Echoes of the Fey play RiftRealms with Sofya, they reveal their own prejudices and beliefs through their strategies. They serve as “dungeon masters” who try to create a gaming experience for Sofya (and thus the player) that is both entertaining and challenging. Kind and compassionate characters like Heremon might slip up by making the game too easy, while ruthless characters like Arkady transform the game into a harrowing experience.
Despite her hardships, Sofya gets many chances to find love amidst her adventures. She can forge a romantic bond with Nikolai, Heremon, Katerina, or Arkady as she tries to escape the dangers of her predicament.
I sincerely hope you all enjoy this game and look forward to hearing what you think!
