Underworld Ascendant Blog Update

The team at OtherSide Entertainment have released some intriguing details about Underworld Ascendant, their upcoming first-person RPG and ‘next-generation PC follow-up’ to Ultima Underworld. In order to gain entrance to Marcaul, one of the game’s rare subterranean hubspots, players must solve one of the game’s ‘immersive sim’ puzzles through a clever utilization of their class-skills and of the environment. Barring your way will be an evocatively named monster called the Mind Crippler, which uses ranged psychic abilities to spur more conventional monsters into a berserk battle fury. An excerpt from the update:

Our current efforts on Underworld Ascendant are focused on creating a tight, polished experience that demonstrates its core distinctive gameplay.

As you know, Underworld Ascendant takes place in a deep, dark subterranean realm, set into the caldera of a volcano. Life exists there – improbably – but, there are sights of wonder.

One of them is Marcaul, a Tangiers-like neutral zone, a key nexus point for the player throughout the game. As you start our current level, you glimpse it in the distance, a beautiful vista, but are barred from entry. The inhabitants there want you to prove yourself first — before they’ll allow you inside. You’re sent to perform The Challenge of Ishtass in the caves below.

This is how we introduce the player to The Improvisation Engine: the bevy of tools at your disposal that allows player-authored solutions to problems. It’s one of the key aspects that differentiates Underworld Ascendant from other games.

The game is currently scheduled for a 2017 release.