Who will protect you when an angry god and planet have had enough?

How’s this for a happy premise? The Earth is environmentally devastated to the point that it begins to retaliate with monsters. The laws of nature are abandoned, and an angry god determines we’re no longer worthy of love and protection. Humans have fled to walled cities in a desperate attempt to survive.

Thankfully, what sounds like life within the next ten years is actually just Alder’s Blood, a turn-based, tactical strategy game from Shockwork Games. In Alder’s Blood, players will join the Hunters, a group of highly skilled, professional monster slayers attempting to preserve human life. Unlike in most games, however, the Hunters aren’t about arms and bravado. They’re smarter than that, attacking with tactics and stealth.

The Hunters carefully plan their attacks, sneaking in the shadows until they can almost feel the nasty breath of the monster they set their sights on, to then strike in no time. Quick, quiet, and deadly, Hunters overcome their enemies with the use of tactics, specialized gear and dark arts. However, in a one-on-one encounter, even the most experienced and skilled Hunter doesn’t stand a chance when facing a beast. That is why joining forces with other Hunters and valuing tactics higher than muscles is crucial for staying alive. Because, don’t forget, these terrifying monsters can easily detect a Hunter’s presence by their scent. Be sure to monitor wind direction, avoid being noticed, and prepare deadly ambushes. Remember that hunting tools are as important as your weapons, and you should make good use of the sophisticated technology and dark artifacts you have at your disposal. But most of all remember that whatever you do, your resources will be limited, and opportunities rare. So don’t waste any of them.

Sound tough? Sure, but it’s our fault, after all. When the end times come, it’s not like we humans will have the right to say, “Well, that came out of nowhere.”

Alder’s Blood features:

  • Stealth, ambush-based combat in which you’ll need to outsmart and outwit all the horrifying creatures you’ll be facing.
  • Diverse, challenging opponents with unique attacks and skills.
  • Stamina-based characters that’ll require you to manage your energy level between attacking, moving and casting spells.
  • A grim world plunged into half-darkness by an angry god who can change the intensity of the battlefield at his will.
  • A vagabond’s exploration system that allows you to take your mobile base along with you.
  • A unique fusion of dark Victorian fantasy and the Wild West.

Alder’s Blood will be available for Nintendo Switch at the end of this year. For more information, visit aldersblood.kickoffpages.com.