The game "Earthlock" will be available for free from 1st September @ Games with Gold.
Snowcastle Games has been in full production for the past four years on their first major title, Earthlock: Festival of Magic, and it’s coming onto Xbox One on September 1. Not only that, but the game will also be the first of four titles to be part of the Games with Gold lineup for September, with the remaining titles to be announced next week.
This westernized turn-based RPG, which in subtle ways reveals its Scandinavian origin, starts as a simple quest, but develops into a deeper journey. Play as Amon and join several unlikely heroes to save Umbra, a beautiful but harsh world that mysteriously stopped spinning thousands of cycles ago. Mix up your strategy to beat your enemies by crafting ammo and materials, harvesting elemental plants, and customizing your characters’ talent tree.
Top comments
DEELZ
21 Aug 163#12
They are getting a return. MS pay the devs an agreed lump sum then a percentage of each additional Gold subscription taken out that month. Just because the game is free to download it doesn't mean the devs get nothing. In terms of Kickstarter backers, they are never guaranteed a return on their money, it's not an investment.
vaderag
21 Aug 163#8
don't think it was a debacle, but the game was atrocious
repouk
21 Aug 163#5
A brand new game being released as a GwG? I do hope MS learned some lessons from the Zheros debacle.
Which I thought was a great game on the 360.
Was so proud when I 100% it :smile:
kidomega
21 Aug 16#25
looks great!! I think this is gunna be better than Final Fantasy 13. :smiley:
Newschmoo
21 Aug 162#19
I backed the game on Kickstarter. I back games primarily because I want to invest in smaller developers and see the games get made. I know that things don't always go to plan but that's the risk you take.
I am not really that upset it is being released on Xbox as part of GwG. I asked for it originally for the PS4. It just means I will have two versions of the game!
eripmav to Newschmoo
21 Aug 16#24
Good to see people supporting the little guys. I help developers through the Kickstarter process and it's so, so hard for the teams now.
repouk
21 Aug 16#23
The game was very buggy, impossible to complete and many of the achievements would not unlock.
It's been patched so now it plays OK apparently. I still haven't been back to it though!
:man:
dave859
21 Aug 16#22
I'm happy it's something new than a game that's been knocking about for 2 Years that everyone already owns. Give this a chance, it maybe really good.
haritori
21 Aug 16#21
Nice, Ive been playing some Turn based RPG's recently feeling nostalgic, Child of light is a good one to try out. will be watching this.
Rhythmeister
21 Aug 16#20
This looks good, the better half will like this I reckon :smiley:
repouk
21 Aug 163#5
A brand new game being released as a GwG? I do hope MS learned some lessons from the Zheros debacle.
Illusionary to repouk
21 Aug 16#6
What was the "debacle"? Perhaps I missed it, but I wasn't aware of there being problems with its inclusion.
Snakeyes646 to repouk
21 Aug 161#15
And banner saga 2? Brilliant game made free with gold on release... Zheroes wasn't great but it was decent enough.
oldskoolpug to repouk
21 Aug 16#18
That zheros game was so bad wasn't it !!! Think I still have it installed lol
DEELZ
21 Aug 163#12
They are getting a return. MS pay the devs an agreed lump sum then a percentage of each additional Gold subscription taken out that month. Just because the game is free to download it doesn't mean the devs get nothing. In terms of Kickstarter backers, they are never guaranteed a return on their money, it's not an investment.
Dichotomy to DEELZ
21 Aug 161#17
Synonyms of investment include funding and backing, so it is an investment no matter how people try to spin it to benefit their own beliefs. How high risk an investment it is can often be discovered with a bit of research, I tend to go for the safer kickstarer projects myself which give more than I'd get at retail.
As for the issue of being funded and then telling a portion of those who funded you they could have had the game for free, it is an underhanded move showing you have no loyalty to those who got you to where you are and are only interested in who you think you can make the most money from. I personally would avoid such a company in the future and really hope the move backfires on them.
Agent004
21 Aug 16#16
Nice heads up, will be checking this one out as it looks good :sunglasses:
Zatos
21 Aug 16#13
Looks interesting enough to check out for free. Heat
Wolfhowl
21 Aug 162#11
A lot of people who backed this on Kickstarter feel betrayed by it being released 'for free' after they paid money to support the development and receive a copy at the end of it. A bit of an argument raging on Kickstarter at the moment between them and those who say you should never expect to see a return on your Kickstarter investment. It doesn't effect me so much as I asked for a PS4 copy but I still think it's a bit of a questionable move.
Illusionary
21 Aug 16#10
Sure, I agree that it wasn't the best of games and I didn't get much out of it myself (though I wouldn't go as far as describing it as atrocious :stuck_out_tongue:). repouk's post made it sound like there were some wider issue with the handling of its inclusion.
peshyae
21 Aug 16#9
Looks great, thanks for the heads-up op
vaderag
21 Aug 163#8
don't think it was a debacle, but the game was atrocious
gemvis
21 Aug 161#7
Never heard of it but but looks pretty stunning to me judging by trailer and maybe a nod towards old school final fantasy games.
mrmcdermot
21 Aug 162#4
saw this earlier here's hoping the xbox starts supporting rpgs more :smile:
oUkTuRkEyIII
21 Aug 16#3
Looks good. Heat
Mathaeus
21 Aug 16#2
"This westernized turn-based RPG" that me out.. :disappointed: totally not my kind of game! This is not a deal either? Or is it free given that you've already paid your subscription yet I still feel obliged to add some heat regardless :smile:
thesinstar
21 Aug 16#1
Oooh this actually looks like a game i will actually play.
Opening post
The game "Earthlock" will be available for free from 1st September @ Games with Gold.
Snowcastle Games has been in full production for the past four years on their first major title, Earthlock: Festival of Magic, and it’s coming onto Xbox One on September 1. Not only that, but the game will also be the first of four titles to be part of the Games with Gold lineup for September, with the remaining titles to be announced next week.
This westernized turn-based RPG, which in subtle ways reveals its Scandinavian origin, starts as a simple quest, but develops into a deeper journey. Play as Amon and join several unlikely heroes to save Umbra, a beautiful but harsh world that mysteriously stopped spinning thousands of cycles ago. Mix up your strategy to beat your enemies by crafting ammo and materials, harvesting elemental plants, and customizing your characters’ talent tree.
Top comments
Latest comments (27)
Grab it now from the AUS Xbox site
Which I thought was a great game on the 360.
Was so proud when I 100% it :smile:
I am not really that upset it is being released on Xbox as part of GwG. I asked for it originally for the PS4. It just means I will have two versions of the game!
It's been patched so now it plays OK apparently. I still haven't been back to it though!
:man:
As for the issue of being funded and then telling a portion of those who funded you they could have had the game for free, it is an underhanded move showing you have no loyalty to those who got you to where you are and are only interested in who you think you can make the most money from. I personally would avoid such a company in the future and really hope the move backfires on them.