In a recent interview with IGN, Scalebound’s director Hideki Kamiya, revealed more information about the Xbox One exclusive’s story and gameplay. The information confirms a lot of the assumptions many had after watching the Gamescom trailer.
Kamiya tells IGN that Scalebound is the game that he always wanted to make. Dragons, a common enemy in video games, will be a companion that the main character Drew will have to befriend throughout the game. The Thuban (the name for the dragon) won’t instantly warm up to Drew, but overtime he will gain its trust and unlock new actions such as flying around on its back. Both Thuban and Drew are loners that form an effective partnership.
The bond between the pair is, from every angle, the beating heart of Scalebound. They share the same life stream (if Thuban dies, Drew dies), and a soft, blue string that floats gently between them, while Drew possesses a scaly arm – of mysterious origin, for now – the colour of Thuban’s skin. And while the relationship between them informs the central story, it’s also used as the basis for multiple play mechanics. As you grow to understand your dragon, more complex interactions with him – across both land traversal and combat – will open up to you.
Also Drew isn’t a part of the world of Draconis which would explain his, out of place considering Scalebound looks like high fantasy, headphones and clothes.
Details regarding the combat and Scalebound’s progression system were also learned through the IGN interview. Those mysterious orbs that appear after Drew defeats the Mantis in the trailer can be collected and use to upgrade Thuban’s appearance and abilities.
This all affects the way Thuban fights. A lighter Thuban with a spear-like weapon attached to his tail will make for a faster, offensive character, while an armoured Thuban with a weighted weapon on his tail will be a better damage-sponge. “There’s always going to be that kind of risk/reward balance,” explains Miyata. “How do I want my dragon to behave and will this be advantageous for me for the next battle? You’ve got to look at each situation that you’re in and assess.”
Still, despite all the new information, Platinum Games isn’t spilling the beans on its co-op multplayer just yet. For more details and a look at thought process behind the building of the world of Draconis, check out the full article from IGN.
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