Operencia: The Stolen Sun Announced – An Old-school Dungeon-crawling RPG

If you’re partial to old-school dungeon crawlers and the prospect of exploring a vibrant fantasy world deeply rooted in folklore fills you with excitement, then you should direct your attention to Operencia: The Stolen Sun, a first person RPG Zen Studios announced earlier this month.

Combining turn-based battles with first person exploration and puzzle-solving, Operencia: The Stolen Sun is said to be inspired by an assortment of Central European folktales and should be launching sometime in 2019. Check out the announcement trailer:

If this looks like something you may enjoy, you can already wishlist the game on Steam, and even sign up for closed beta. Here’s the official description:

Zen Studios’ modern homage to classic first-person dungeon-crawlers takes you to the land of Operencia, an unconventional fantasy world inspired by a faraway land referenced in countless Central European folktales. An old-school turn-based battle system combines with inspiration from unexplored mythology to offer an RPG experience that feels unique yet also familiar.

A TALE FOR THE AGES

An unknown force has abducted the Sun King Napkiraly, leaving Operencia in a state of perpetual darkness – and eventual doom. From hidden royal tombs and cursed castles to an ascent up the World Tree to reach the Copper Forest of the Land of the Gods, explore diverse settings throughout the far reaches of the land…and beyond. Each location boasts its own unique atmosphere, visual style, level design and puzzles, and many take place entirely outdoors.

WHERE HISTORY MEETS LEGEND

Operencia is home to an intriguing mix of unexplored mythology and fantastical versions of actual historical locations (e.g., Deva Fortress, Balvanyos) and characters (e.g., Attila, Seven Chieftains of the Magyars), all coming together to form one cohesive new gaming universe. Several of your own seven party members take influence from heroes of forgotten tales told hundreds of years ago, such as the brave knight Mezey and Sebastian the Dragon Slayer.

CLASSIC GAMEPLAY AND EXPLORATION

Along with a deeply strategic turn-based battle system full of spells and special skills to execute, tile-based movement encourages thorough exploration of each area. For added challenge, turn on Cartographer mode to plot out each of the 13 maps yourself. How many secrets will you find?

BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION

Breathtaking hand-drawn cutscenes and fabulous 2D character portraits bring the story to life in a style not easily compared to any other game. More than 30 colorful characters are fully voiced through top-tier performances authentic to the game’s Central European roots.

OTHER KEY FEATURES

• Explore 13 diverse, puzzle-filled levels
• Defeat more than 50 enemy types
• Switch between 7 fully upgradable – and memorable – characters
• Robust difficulty settings allow you to select options such as limiting saves, implementing permadeath, and disabling auto-mapping to create your own
• Stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 4
• An epic orchestral score composed by Arthur Grosz
• Fully 3D environments, enemies and objects, plus high-fidelity advanced effects with dynamic shadows and lighting
• AAA Indie production quality and polish with top-tier voice acting, soundtrack, cutscenes and writing

On top of that, you can check out this USgamer article that focuses on Operencia’s unique setting and features a number of quotes from the game’s developers.