The whole 'choices matter' shtick has become a bit of a double-edged sword for RPGs, but post-apocalyptic RPG Lorn Vale takes a slightly different approach to players creating their own story. In the game, you start as a survivor sheltering in the sand-strewn wastes and rundown ruins of a failed world. All you've got is the shirt on your back—not even that—and whatever skills and stats you decide to take.
Since Lorn Vale's encounters and events are procedurally generated, no two playthroughs are exactly alike as you make your way through the hellish landscape doing your best to survive. Sometimes you'll have no choice but to survive by… well, killing everything else. Lorn Vale's real-time combat gives you an array of weapons, abilities, and gizmos with which to murder the denizens of post-apocalyptia. You'll also want to be on the lookout for even deadlier surprises *cough cough* giant sand worm.
If you're too eager to draw your weapon and go to town, it might change how the world sees you. Lorn Vale's reputation system impacts your standing with various factions and characters, so you'll need to consider how you approach each encounter. You might prefer to take the social route, negotiating for a peaceful outcome, or like me, you may prefer to let your gun do the talking—it's the wasteland, baby.
Your route through Lorn Vale won't just determine how friendly factions are, but will lead to different alignments for your character, and even mutations, impacting your adventure's trajectory. Though still a 'choices matter' game to some extent, it's a rags to riches post-apocalyptic RPG with more of a focus on 'unpredictable and unique emergent scenarios'.
If that all sounds like your kind of kick, you can sign up for the upcoming playtest on the official Lorn Vale website. The game is looking to release in early access in 2025.
