Polish developer Iron Lung has released their first dev blog video for their upcoming Souls-like survival actions hooter Alterborn. Alterborn was announced for PS5 back in March and the devs hope to have their game released sometime in Q3 of 2023.
In the behind-the-scenes video, the developers talk about a couple of the game’s unique features. Core features of Alterborn such as the Alternate Fire and the Altered State are discussed in the video. And Iron Lung hopes these features will set Alterborn apart from the slew of other Souls-like games.
Check out the behind-the-scenes look at Alterborn below.
Alternate Fire
The first feature that Iron Lung talks about is the Alternate Fire feature. When you’re in combat in Alterborn, you can choose to run around frantically, dodging enemies and running and gunning. WIth ALternate Fire though, taking your time and strategically positioning yourself might be a good option. The devs explain that while standing still and aiming for a specified time your weapon behaves differently. So this adds a layer of choice to the game. Do run and gun while dodging attacks? Or stare down the enemy and reap the benefits of the Alternate Fire? The devs believe that this choice adds another layer of depth to Alterborn.
The Altered State
The next feature the devs discuss is one I find quite intriguing, it’s called the Altered State. Essentially, there certain “triggers” let the player enter what the devs describe as “a different realm of sorts.” The Altered State realms have a timer, so you only have a certain time to explore and you can only do it once. iI the timer runs out or you die within the Altered State, you are locked out of that particular instance. The developers explain that the core design principle behind the Altered State is that the player will never be able to fully explore it. And that will require making difficult but meaningful choices. The video shows a player in the Altered State looting some chests, so the choice could be do I loot these chests? Or do I explore further for better rewards, but risk the timer running out.
Alterborn is scheduled to launch sometime in Q3 of 2023 and will be coming to PS5. So far the game is looking pretty interesting but I have to admit that the visuals look like they could do with a bit of a polish. Plenty of time for graphical improvements though. Iron Lung will no doubt be releasing more behind-the-scenes videos of Alterborn in the lead up to launch. So stay tuned. If you want to find out more about the game or follow the game on social media, then check out the official website.
