Since 2016, the action RPG Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem has been in early access, but a release is still not in sight. Are there problems?
What is Wolcen? Wolcen is a hack ‘n’ slash that places great importance on telling an epic story. Just like in Diablo, you explore a large fantasy world where many quests await you. Along the way, you fight hordes of monsters and bosses in the wild and in dungeons to obtain better loot.
How has the development gone so far? Wolcen was announced in 2015 under the title Umbra as part of a Kickstarter campaign and was successfully funded with over $406,000. At that time, the hack ‘n’ slash was supposed to be released by the end of 2016.
In early 2016, it was renamed to Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, and the release date was postponed to late 2017. At the same time the name change occurred, the early access version of the game was released on March 24, 2016 via Steam. After that, it became relatively quiet about the title.
The development is progressing slowly
Is the development making progress? The small indie team is constantly working on the game. However, mainly smaller updates and patches are released, although these are very regular. Over the years, the action RPG has improved slowly but steadily.
- In June 2017, the world map and quests system were integrated.
- In January 2018, there was a restructuring. The team stated they were now working on the final content of the game.
- In September 2018, the beta was announced, with the first phase starting in October.
- Since then, patches have been released based on the testers’ feedback.
What happens next? The second beta phase is currently ongoing. It is not yet clear when this will end. A release is expected afterwards, but that also has no date yet.
Fantastic graphics and a focus on story
What makes Wolcen special? The action RPG uses the CryEngine. The beautiful landscapes invite exploration, and the dungeons create a creepy atmosphere. Graphically, the title can even compete with the highly anticipated Project TL.
Furthermore, the developers aim to create an RPG that is supported by an exciting story and interesting quests, without neglecting the “hack ‘n’ slash” combat and loot gathering.
Wolcen currently does not have a multiplayer mode. However, this is expected to be integrated and tested during the beta.
How you can join: If you want to check out Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem now, you can purchase the early access version for 19.99 Euros via Steam. The reviews of this early version are “mostly positive” with 73%, and the ratings from the last 30 days on Steam are even “very positive”.
Fans of action RPGs should definitely keep an eye on Wolcen. However, patience is simply required when it comes to the development and release of the game.
