Update: Hey folks, before you get into the details of the name change below, we’ve got a quick update for you, as Fleetbreakers is now available to play via the new demo that just dropped on Steam.
The demo represents an alpha build of the game and includes both the Prelude and Act 1. According to the update, there “are no time limits and no two playthroughs will be exactly the same.”
The devs are eager to hear your feedback, so if you do decide to download the demo and give it a try, you should also join the Discord, where you can communicate your thoughts directly to Last Keep.
Finally, I’ve gone through and updated the article with new images that show off the game’s UI. Perhaps not as clean and pretty as the originals, but I think they give you a better look at the offer.
Original: A few weeks ago, we (the “we” in this instance being Kieran and I) were invited to check out Project Citadel, an upcoming roguelite RTS hybrid from the good folks over at Last Keep.
Last Keep might technically be a new outfit readying a debut game, but this is a studio that has been built by veterans. Amongst their number is Dave Pottinger, who among his many credits, was the lead developer of a game called Halo Wars – a game I thoroughly enjoyed back in the day, but I digress…
The game was called Project Citadel when we viewed it as part of Last Keep’s first round of media engagements, but now the studio has announced a name change. Henceforth, and as announced last week, their game will be called Fleetbreakers.
FWIW, I like the new name!
What is Fleetbreakers, then?
While the name might have changed, the game underneath remains the same. That game is a challenging real-time strategy roguelite hybrid inspired by iconic sci-fi franchises. If you’re a fan of stuff like Star Trek, you’ll feel right at home fairly quickly, I would wager.
Fleetbreakers, as the name implies, is an RTS built around the quick deployment of a squadron of spaceships in tightly controlled combat encounters. The persistent bit relates to your fleet, which you can expand and enhance over time, increasing your options accordingly.
The big bad is called the Voltari, and your mission is to overthrow them and free the galaxy from their control. It’ll make more sense as we get to take on the EA build, but the aim is to keep things fresh and surprising as you progress, with a procedural campaign made up of “unique encounters with their own challenges and rewards.”
Classic sci-fi style
I can’t offer much in terms of hands-on gameplay impressions at this point in time, but I can comment on the graphics and the overall aesthetic. In that respect, I think it looks fantastic, and I’m a big fan of the way Last Keep is using colour to stop the expanse of space looking just a bit… empty and dull.
The other thing in the literature that I like the sound of, and it makes sense when you consider the pedigree of the developers, is the console/controller friendly approach. Age of Empires, which Pottinger worked on too, was initially a PC-focused franchise, but Halo Wars was a console-first RTS and was very playable on controller, as I recall. I always prefer to play games like this with a mouse, but having the option to play with a controller will hopefully broaden its appeal.
There’s an Early Access release off in the nearish distance, and I’m really eager to take a proper look when the game is out in the wild. In the meantime, you can join me in wishlisting the game over on Steam, where Fleetbreakers will be releasing on Linux and Windows PC.
