Unveiling Arcadian Atlas: The Overarching Journey of TRPG Renaissance

With Diofield Chronicles and Persona 5 Tactica on the horizon, tactical RPGs are currently experiencing a new golden age. Among these games is Arcadian Atlas, an upcoming title by developer Twin Otter and publisher Serenity Forge.

Arcadian Atlas delves into a world of political intrigue, civil war, and enchanting magical artifacts, centering around two lovers. While taking inspiration from the genre-defining games, Twin Otter's owner, Taylor Bair, explained in an interview with Game Rant that Arcadian Atlas is forging its own unique path. The interview transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

The current resurgence of TRPGs can be attributed to the growing demographic of adults who grew up playing classic titles like Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. As these former players have now become developers, they are incorporating their nostalgic influences into their work, paying homage to the genre while adding their own unique touch.

The inspirations behind Arcadian Atlas draw heavily from the SNES and PS1 era, which saw the rise of pixel art as a form of artistic brilliance. Games like Secret of Mana showcased stunning still images and seamless tilemaps, while Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI demonstrated the power of animation in expressing character emotions. Despite the limitations posed by the hardware of that time, these worlds birthed revolutionary techniques in lighting, movement, and storytelling. Our deep admiration for the characters and settings of those games served as the driving force behind Arcadian Atlas, evident in our meticulously crafted animations, beautifully rendered battlefields, and captivating narrative.

Q: It's easy to see parallels to Final Fantasy Tactics, is that being intentionally evoked?

A: Arcadia, our game world, is rich with political intrigue and various factions.

Politically, the land of Arcadia is engulfed in a civil war following the declaration of Lucretia Belneive, the eldest surviving heir to the throne, as illegitimate by her stepmother, Queen Venezia of Dantalion. Lucretia rallies the oppressed peasantry to resist and reclaim her rightful position as ruler. This conflict, fueled by the cunning strategies of these two calculated individuals, divides the continent into opposing factions: Lucretian supporters and Venezia's forces in Dantalion. Caught in the middle are our protagonists, Vashti Dahlman and Desmond Rhines, who are compelled to make a difficult choice and align themselves with one side.

As the story unfolds, various other factions emerge, all vying for power in Arcadia, ready to sacrifice anything to attain it, but to avoid giving away spoilers, let's just say that there are additional contenders in the pursuit of power.

Q: Can you talk about some of the "complex strategic battles" awaiting players?

In Arcadia, the strategy is like a complex playground with multiple layers. On the battlefield layer, there are factors like elevation, water obstacles, and toxic wastelands that need to be considered. On the class layer, you have units that are strong and can deliver powerful attacks, but they are slower when it comes to surrounding an enemy. Meanwhile, more agile units may not be able to defeat a target in one turn, but they excel at climbing cliffs for surprise flank attacks.

At the skill level, you can set traps for enemies, block important chokepoints, or even risk your own safety by entering a rage and causing massive damage for a few critical turns. Additionally, all these layers can change depending on the win conditions of a battle. It's not always about overpowering everyone; sometimes, the goal is to survive an ambush against overwhelming odds and emerge victorious.

These are real situations that players can encounter in Arcadian Atlas, and they represent only a small part of the game's vast content.

Q: Can you describe the experience of creating a TRPG in RPG Maker? Considering that the engine is not specifically designed for it.

Thankfully, we made the decision to transition to Unity several years ago for the exact reason you suspected: RPG Maker served as a valuable tool for prototyping the concept, but it lacked the necessary strength to support the game we aspired to create. Through Unity, we gained the ability to construct intricate battle systems, capable of sustaining persistent traps that inflict burning, poisoning, or shocking effects upon those foolish enough to approach them. Moreover, we were able to incorporate complex skill trees and meticulously orchestrated scenes, unveiling the dramatic events of Arcadia through thousands of custom animations. Switching to Unity not only aligned Arcadian Atlas with our original vision, but also expanded its potential beyond our wildest expectations. As a result, we couldn't be more delighted with the decision.

The class system in Arcadian Atlas has a strategic framework consisting of four core classes. The Cavalier is a close-range fighter, the Ranger is a long-range fighter and scout, the Apothecary specializes in healing and corruptive potions, and the Warmancer is a long-range magic class. As they level up, each core class can advance to one of two advanced classes, resulting in a total of 12 classes. For example, the Cavalier can promote to either the Ronin or Inquisitor class, each offering their own unique strategic philosophies.

What's your favorite class among all the options available?

It is quite difficult to choose just one! Personally, I have a strong inclination towards the Druid (an advanced class in Warmancer) due to their impressive area-of-effect skills. However, my admiration for the truly peculiar lies with the Shaman (an advanced class in Apothecary). Their skill called Unholy Revival is particularly intriguing as it has the ability to revive all deceased allies, although with limited health and no special points, all while being classified as Undead units.

The process of creating skills that were genuinely distinctive to each class, while incorporating relevant and practical elements regardless of the character's level, brought about immense satisfaction.

A: Does the game offer a substantial amount of side quests and content after completing the main story? In line with the essence of a well-crafted tactical RPG, there are surely an abundance of side quests available. Players can engage in special contract missions that often involve encountering peculiar adversaries or accomplishing distinct win conditions, all of which offer rewarding outcomes. Additionally, there might be hidden scenes and units waiting to be discovered within these quests.

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Arcadian Atlas releases July 27 on Steam.