New Game Announced by BioShock, Borderlands Veterans

Summary

Stray Kite Studios, a team of industry veterans with experience on titles like BioShock, Borderlands, and Age of Empires, has announced Wartorn, their first original game. This real-time strategy roguelite boasts destructible environments, impactful moral choices, and a striking painterly art style. Expect an early access launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store in Spring 2025.

Wartorn is the debut original title from Dallas-based Stray Kite Studios, founded in 2018 and currently employing around 30 people. Their previous work includes the standalone Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-Shot Adventure and various creative maps for Fortnite.

This new game follows two elven sisters on a perilous journey to reunite with their family. Their quest will be fraught with challenging battles and morally ambiguous choices, shaping a narrative-driven roguelite experience.

Wartorn's Chaotic Gameplay

Wartorn's fantasy world is deeply fractured and chaotic, testing the sisters' resilience in multiple ways. This chaos extends to the game's physics-driven destructible environments, ensuring each encounter unfolds uniquely. The game explores themes of finding purpose amidst chaos, with co-founder and creative director Paul Hellquist stating, "We’ve poured our hearts into creating a game that not only entertains but also makes players think deeply about sacrifice, survival, and the bonds that unite us."

Difficult Choices and Dynamic Combat

Beyond combat, players face tough decisions, such as choosing who to save or feed, influencing the narrative and replayability. Combat itself offers strategic freedom through a dynamic magic system. Players can mix and match elemental forces (fire, water, lightning) with varied situational applications, creating exciting tactical possibilities.

We’ve poured our hearts into creating a game that not only entertains but also makes players think deeply about sacrifice, survival, and the bonds that unite us.

The roguelite progression system allows upgrades to carry over between runs, making subsequent attempts easier. The game's painterly aesthetic enhances the dramatic setting. For enhanced accessibility, a slow-motion feature allows for precise command input during chaotic moments. Wartorn is set for an early access release on Steam and the Epic Games Store in Spring 2025.