From Wispire:
Dutch indie developer Wispfire announces the release date for Herald Book I & II, a choice-driven adventure game about colonialism. Herald will be releasing for PC on the 16th of February, 2017, on the Steam and Humble Store. Mac and Linux editions will be released at a later date. A short featurette, explaining Herald’s colonial themes and featuring voice acting and updated gameplay, has been released to celebrate.
An ‘interactive period drama’ about prejudice and imperialism with a unique 19th century-inspired setting, Herald is a point-and-click adventure like no other. Players follow Devan, a man of mixed heritage, working as a steward on board the merchant clipper Herald. Like other story-driven games, Herald features a branching narrative with multiple endings influenced by the player’s decisions. In a world divided by race, class and culture, players are faced with a perilous journey full of moral dilemma as they work to uncover the ship’s most sinister secret.
“Herald offers an intriguing take on our colonial history and aims to serve as a reflection on the diverse modern societies that are its product. Considering the current political climate, we decided to tell a tale about the consequences of colonialism for ordinary people, to make players think about the part that they choose to play, both in- and outside of the game.”
Roy van der Schilden, Lead Writer and Co-Founder of Wispfire.
Herald Book I and II are fully voiced and contain more than 3000 lines of dialogue. Following both a successful Kickstarter and a grant from a Dutch equity fund, the Democracy and Media Foundation, the developers were able to record the script with a diverse cast of professional actors. To celebrate this, they’ve just posted a new trailer showing gameplay and featuring the actors introducing their characters.
The PC versions of Herald Book I and II will be setting sail on Steam and the Humble Store for $/€ 9,99 on the 16th of February, 2017. Mac and Linux versions will be released shortly afterwards. Books III and IV will be released at a later date as purchasable DLC.
Check out the trailer here.
Key features
- A branching narrative that changes depending on how you decide to play.
- A mix between 3D point&click and 2D visual novel gameplay with animated portraits.
- A multicultural cast of characters who might become your best friends or worst enemies.
- A unique setting: an alternate 1857 in which the West has been united as a single colonial superpower, the Protectorate.
- A gripping tale about finding your place in a world divided by race, class and culture.
- Full English voice acting by a cast of 13 talented voice actors. (3000+ lines!)
About Wispfire
Mixing dramaturgy with ludology, Wispfire was founded by four graduates with a background in theatre and game design. Wanting to bring theater's immediacy and its heritage of political relevance to video games, they set out to make Herald, a game inspired by both 19th century history and today’s political climate. Research was key in crafting a believable setting with relatable characters, as the team consulted with many sources and experts on colonial heritage during the game’s development.
Website: heraldgame.com
Facebook: /wispfire
Twitter: @wispfire
Devblog: heraldgame.tumblr.com
