Sometimes, early access games are unfinished messes that the devs are pushing out so that they can get a bit of funding and notoriety. Sometimes, the devs release a game that isn’t quite finished but is still an enjoyable game in its own right.
WOLCEN Studios went with the second option for the early access of their titular title, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem. This isometric top-down hack-and-slash has been available in early access for quite some time, releasing all the way back in 2016. The extended early access is explained on their Steam page:
“We want the game to be properly tested in the field while we implement the core features,” the developers state. “The game has a lot of replayable mechanics to test as well and we want to make sure that these mechanics are appreciated and polished. An early access is a perfect way to achieve these goals.”
The game technically left early access a bit under a year ago on March 28th, 2019. From there, WOLCEN Studios moved the game into a beta format instead, continuing to roll out sizeable patches and improvements while they prepared for their 2020 launch.
[New skill of the week] You've already met the Feeding Swarm earlier this week. Now meet the Hunting Swarm too! These zombies with ranged attacks are ready to defend you or shoot arrows on your command.#WolcenRelease #ComingSoon #ARPG #gamedev #indiedev #pcgaming #videogames pic.twitter.com/5mptxLbF8V
— Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem (@WolcenGame) January 30, 2020
Now that day of launch is nearly upon us. On February 13th, everything is still on schedule for Wolcen to see a full release.
If you haven’t tried the game yet, it’s similar to other ARPGs like Diablo or Torchlight, with a much heavier customization on the character side of things. The developers have done their best to avoid enforcing a meta so that players don’t feel forced to play a single playstyle or build to be effective, providing much more replayability and customization on all fronts. The passive skill tree system allows players to try different builds, from pure single-class load-outs to incredibly powerful hybrids.
Graphically, the game is absolutely stunning, and even in early access has featured a fully-voiced cast and a wide variety of environments. Only the first act has been available for the early access, which allows players to reach level 20 and try a variety of builds, working towards equipment and random dungeon modes under the Soldier of Fortune game mode.
If you have any intention of hopping into this beautiful game, you should do it in the next few days. If you choose to do so, however, do be aware that WOLCEN Studios will be wiping all characters before the full release. In preparation for the release, they have also taken the servers offline, so you’ll be playing solo. Still, the full release will see the game’s price increasing from USD $30.00 to USD $45.00, so there’s no time like the present!
