Alta, the developers renowned for A Township Tale (2021), recently offered a sneak peek into their latest project, REAVE, a dungeon-crawler extraction game. Though still very much a work in progress, they shared insights into the game’s various systems, along with a glimpse of a new dungeon and enemy encounters.
In their recent developer log, Alta unveiled several freshly updated systems and game areas, with the highlight being an enormous room called ‘The Fallen Bastion.’ Lead environment artist Sean Ellis described it as a “mix of open and tight spaces, complemented by well-lit regions and dark, shadowy corners perfect for ambushing opponents or hiding from enemies.” At the heart of this space lies a magical pedestal, where players can summon a boss battle. Currently, a giant spider serves as the test boss, though it’s just a placeholder for something more specific later on. “Don’t worry,” the studio assures. “[The spider] isn’t here to stay, but it’s helping us get a feel for designing authentic boss battles.”
Many previously revealed segments of the game are getting “lots of transformations and tweaks,” the studio mentions, even hinting that some elements might be completely replaced as development progresses.
They also gave us a look at a brand new enemy model poised to replace the former placeholder skeletons. These new foes vary in difficulty, depending on their weaponry and armor.
Exploring the extraction aspects, REAVE leans heavily on its in-game currency, ‘Echoes’ (which may still be a placeholder name). Players collect these Echoes in their vessel over time. Defeating enemies releases Echoes, but they can also be discovered throughout the environment, encouraging players to battle, explore, and utilize their Echoes to access treasure rooms or to extract from dungeons. Successfully doing so returns players to a social hub where they can sell their collected loot.
For those eager to try the game firsthand, there is an opportunity to join the game’s Discord. Here, limited testing slots are occasionally available. While there’s no official release date yet, Alta has confirmed that they’re aiming for compatibility with Quest 2 and newer models, as well as PC VR headsets.
