A team of former World of Warcraft and League of Legends developers have joined together under a new banner, Frostkeep Studios. And a new trailer for the team’s first game, Rend, confirms Frostkeep will be the latest studio to contribute an incomplete survival game to the ever-expanding Steam Early Access library.
Our first look at Rend doesn’t take any steps to try and obfuscate the game’s unfinished state. Most of the textures could use some work and draw distances leave plenty to be desired. The game looks like it’ll blend fantasy and sci-fi and survival concepts. Most of what’s shown in the first Rend trailer is decidedly low-tech, like wood structures and hand torches, but characters can also be seen wielding what we can best describe as a laser crossbow. The Rend listing on Steam confirms we’ll see plenty of crafting, base-raiding and faction warfare. Frostkeep Studios Co-Founder Mat Milizia says the studio also hopes to use its considerable experience with big projects to smooth out some of the survival genre’s roughest edges.
“With our first game Rend, we are delivering on the fantasy players expect from a survival game while also challenging the traditional mold by introducing new experiences and solving many of the genre’s accepted player pain points,” said Milizia. “Our team has been fortunate to work at many of the industry’s leading studios throughout our careers so we have learned valuable key lessons along the way that we are now applying to our studio’s development philosophy and game making process.”
Here’s the description from Rend ’s Steam page:
Choose your side in this faction-based survival game, pitting groups of players against each other amid hordes of horrific demons in an ongoing epic war. Explore a mysterious and unforgiving world in search of resources and powerful artifacts as you race against the clock to achieve the glory of victory before you are wiped from existence. Carve a unique niche for yourself with RPG-like talent and skill systems, allowing you to tailor your character to any play style. Expand your technology and knowledge with your faction to unlock new heights of power to wield against your foes. Defend your base against an ever increasing onslaught form the unyielding armies of the Lost, and from enemy player factions. Survival is only the first step, as there can only be one victor. Will you be lost and forgotten, or will you emerge as champions?
For an early look at Rend , take a few minutes to watch the first trailer from Frostkeep Studios. Then head down to the comments section and let us know if you’re planning to check out Rend when the game hits Steam later this year.
Rend is in development for PC. The game hits Steam Early Access sometime in Spring 2017.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes and follow Scott on Twitter for more Rend coverage in 2017 and however long Frostkeep Studios supports Rend in the months following launch.
