From the creator of Withering Rooms, Withering Realms is an action RPG that wants to meld the genre of horror with action RPG gameplay. With the game coming to PC (via Steam) later this year, its developer was kind enough to have a chat with us about the title on subjects ranging from the balance between action and horror, to progression systems, and even the differences between the gameplay depending on the in-game day/night cycle.
While Withering Realms is going for a spooky vibe, will horror be a big part of the gameplay, or will it focus more on action?
I think horror and action are often (but not always) at cross purposes, so I’ve purposefully turned up the “contrast” in this game to create a clearer separation between the two.
When playing as The Doll, the focus is more on action, with slightly less horror theming (although there’s no shortage of horrible things shambling about).
When playing as Althea, particularly when sneaking around where you shouldn’t be, the game plays more like a classic survival horror title with fixed camera angles.
What kind of progression systems can we expect in Withering Realms?
I’m a big fan of build expression and the feeling of becoming vastly more powerful by the end of a game. With my first game, Withering Rooms, it was really satisfying to see stats that are often ignored in other games, like Luck, become cornerstones of powerful builds. I’m hoping to expand on that with this game.
The Doll follows a traditional action RPG level-up progression system, but with a twist – you level up individual body parts. For example, you can improve your left arm, right arm, legs, etc., individually. You can also craft and level up a variety of equipment, including talismans that attach to specific limbs, replacement eyeballs, and spell catalysts for Clover(the ghost girl).
"I think horror and action are often (but not always) at cross purposes"
What is the style of storytelling you’re aiming for?
I really enjoy being thrown into a world and having to figure out my place in it rather than sitting through a lot of exposition. You will take control of Clover and The Doll within 30 seconds of starting a new game. There is a (mostly) linear main quest, multiple endings, and a lot of optional content, but all presented in a way that hopefully encourages the player to figure things out for themselves.
Will Withering Realms feature pastiches of classic horror tropes, or will it take a more serious approach?
There will definitely be some costume homages! I don’t want to reveal anything just yet but I will say that The Doll’s bald head is a canvas that can be painted many different ways.
What variety can we expect from the weapon crafting mechanics?
The various left and right arm tools have set behaviors and stats. While you will need to find the necessary resources to craft them, the tools themselves are not customizable.
On the other hand (no pun intended), the talismans you equip to limbs feature a deeper crafting system. For instance, you might craft a talisman that reduces stamina consumption and increases fire damage, then equip it to your right arm to make the heavy Flamethrower a more viable option. Later, when you’ve upgraded your right arm or core body stats so that stamina consumption is no longer an issue, you might craft a new talisman focused purely on fire damage.
"While you will need to find the necessary resources to craft them, the tools themselves are not customizable."
How much of a difference will there be between playing during the day versus playing at night?
In many games, nighttime is just a “bluer” version of daytime with a starry skybox. In Withering Realms, night is pitch black.
The game uses physical lighting units, so outdoor daylight is hundreds of thousands of times brighter than night. Clover, the ghost, emits a very faint glow that is completely washed out during the day but becomes the only way to locate your character at night if you don’t have any other lighting equipped. As such, you’ll need to use lanterns or spells to see.
At night, the really horrible creatures and ghosts come out. Since visibility is low, you’ll need to rely on sound. If the ground starts rumbling, you know something large is coming.
Will Withering Realms have a skill tree? If so, what kinds of upgrades can we expect?
No explicit skill tree – build variety comes from stat allocation and choosing which tools and talismans to invest in upgrading, as well as what you equip.
Can you share the release date for Withering Realms? Are there plans to bring it to PS5 and Xbox?
I’m aiming for Early Access on Steam, likely with a demo as well. I’ll have an exact date as we get closer. After that, I’ll focus on the full release on PC and consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X, and possibly others), likely with a publishing partner.