A new game on Steam brings fresh wind to the world of MMORPGs. On 12/04/2023, “The Wagadu Chronicles” launched in Early Access. The game promises interesting concepts in an unusual Afro-Fantasy setting. What exactly can you expect?
What is “The Wagadu Chronicles”?
- The game is developed by “Twin Drums“, a small development studio from Berlin.
- Originally, the game was funded through crowdfunding on Kickstarter, where it was able to raise over €160,000.
- Additionally, the developers receive support from Riot Games, the developer of LoL. The company invests in various startups, primarily to empower underrepresented founders.
In the Early Access trailer, you can see the game for yourself:
The main features at a glance
The Wagadu Chronicles is a sandbox MMORPG where you gather resources, craft items, and found villages. Here you can see the main features at a glance:
1. Focus on Roleplay with Pen&Paper elements
The Wagadu Chronicles places great emphasis on story and roleplay. On Kickstarter, the developer advertises that it is the first online game tailored 100% for roleplayers, from the lore to the mechanics.
With this RPG focus, the game is reminiscent of Baldur’s Gate 3, which recently demonstrated with its huge success how popular the genre currently is and what potential it holds. The game has already won an award as the “Ultimate Game of the Year.” Baldur’s Gate 3 is also a strong contender for Game of the Year at the 2023 Game Awards.
We can expect to see even more games that will be oriented around the concept of the RPG in the future.
Unlike in Baldur’s Gate 3, the roleplay in The Wagadu Chronicles is also meant to take place primarily through player interactions. For this, there is a special “Dialogue Mode” that can be opened when two or more players are chatting. Close-ups make animations and the characters’ facial expressions more visible.
To further motivate players, there are also rewards for groups that deliver particularly interesting and well-thought-out roleplay.
The extensive lore of The Wagadu Chronicles is intended to be regularly expanded in the game. The developers also explain on their own website that a whole book will soon be released. This will be a “Pen & Paper” rulebook that allows adventures in Wagadu to be experienced analogously at the kitchen table.
Of course, the book also offers interesting backgrounds for pure video gamers who want to refine their online roleplay. A 300-page demo is already available for free.
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in the “Dungeons & Dragons” universe and is based on the fifth edition of the game.
“Pen & Paper” is also increasingly getting focus in film and television. In the popular mystery series Stranger Things, all monsters are from Dungeons & Dragons, and the protagonists are fans of the game. Recently, there was even a whole film that deals with the chaos of a “Dungeons & Dragons” session.
A similar focus on worldbuilding is also supposed to be found in the new survival game “Coreborn: Nations of the Ultracore.” In an interview, we talk to the developers, including “Pen & Paper” legend Hauke Gerdes:
2. Player Communities
Although there is no direct PvP in The Wagadu Chronicles, interaction with other players is still important. In “communities,” you can team up to claim islands and build your own village. If multiple communities are interested in a building site, so-called “guardian spirits” must be convinced with gifts.
3. Player-driven economy
Players not only influence the world of The Wagadu Chronicles by building villages. The economy is also completely player-driven. Most items can only be crafted by players. The NPCs offer only the bare essentials.
Many items such as clothing or weapons can also be customized individually in an editor. With the right sense of fashion, you might even become a little designer and sell your creations.
4. Free class system
In the MMORPG, there are no fixed classes. You can freely develop the skills that are most important to you. This applies to combat skills as well as various professions like farmer or fisherman.
A special feature is that players automatically receive experience points every day. Thus, no grind is needed to progress. This way, players of peaceful professions such as traveling merchants or tailors can level up just as quickly as a warrior.
5. Turn-based combat system
Rather uncharacteristic of the genre, the game relies on a turn-based combat system. With its hexagon fields, it is reminiscent of strategy classics like Civilization.
The combat itself is divided into movement and action phases. Here, D&D players or fans of Baldur’s Gate 3 are likely to feel right at home.
In pure PvE combat, it is crucial to coordinate a good strategy with up to 11 friends.
6. Afro-Fantasy setting
Last but not least, the game comes with a very special setting. The game world resembles the African savannah; the characters have dark skin and wear traditional garments. Combined with a touch of fantasy, this creates a unique setting in the genre.
The developers describe their approach as “What if Tolkien had been black?”.
Inspired by African mythologies and traditions, there are seven different fantastic races in the world of The Wagadu Chronicles. For example, the Asiman are powerful elemental mages and alchemists, inspired by African desert dwellers. The Ikaki, on the other hand, are fish people representing the inhabitants of Central Africa.
How the game is received
The game is praised mainly for its role-playing elements and fresh approaches.
“The focus is on expressing yourself and building a community,” writes a user on Steam. “The game encourages you to actually play a character instead of being a standard MMORPG,” another user adds.
“The vibe I get is a relaxed feeling. I can progress at my own pace and let myself fall into the world.”
The quests and crafting mechanics also seem to convince.
What’s not so good? Despite the already good ideas, the game is still very fresh in Early Access.
Players report that there are frequent bugs and glitches. Mechanics aren’t always intuitive, the options are still quite limited, and the game pace is a bit too slow.
One user summarizes: “You can tell that the game is in Early Access. Although it still has its rough edges, the game is definitely fun and the current problems can be fixed in the future.”
Another hope on the MMORPG horizon is the Oldschool-inspired “Ravendawn.” The game is set to be released in 2024, but you can already test it:
