Players who have been hungry for an open-world survival title with a truly unique setting are in luck: Inflexion Games' gas-lamp fantasy title, Nightingale, is set to arrive on February 20 for PC. In addition to the standard explore-craft-survive rhythm of these titles, players will be able to select personalized character histories to immerse themselves in the world of Nightingale.
The Best War Games recently spoke to Inflexion Games' CEO Aaryn Flynn about Nightingale's background system, which could possibly evolve and expand throughout Early Access. While Nightingale still prioritizes survival gameplay over narrative, this role-playing addition gives it a leg up over other competitive open-world survival games like Valheim.
Nightingale Hands-On Preview: A Brave New World
Although the survival-crafting genre is seeing a resurgence as of late, Inflexion Games' Nightingale truly stands out from the pack.
Grounding Nightingale Characters With Personal History
One Nightingale feature that has already grabbed players' interest is the deep character customization system, designed to help players easily create aesthetically pleasing characters, but one non-cosmetic option also has a load of potential. When players create a new character, they will be able to select a background that explains the character's history in the world of Nightingale. As Flynn described the feature,
"Currently, this serves as an added backstory for their character to help ground them in the world of Nightingale. There is still further iteration to be done with these backgrounds, but one potential we’re exploring is unique dialogue options for players based on their backgrounds."
Most open-world survival characters emerge from a narrative vacuum. After their appearance is finalized, they spring into existence and any sort of role in their respective world is left up to players' imagination. While that may more or less hold true in Nightingale too, players can personalize their presence and use these backgrounds to roleplay their character. That's a great stepping stone for the feature to grow from, with Flynn mentioning unique dialogue options for these backgrounds as one possible vector for growth. Possibly gradually implementing custom dialogue options is a great way to further ground players in the surreal Fae Realms of Nightingale, while also increasing their sense of agency. It's also a natural fit for Inflexion Games' approach in ensuring the lore is not too heavy-handed.
Nightingale's Early Access Future is Bright
Ultimately, the most exciting aspect of the background system is its potential for growth throughout the Early Access period. Inflexion Games is hoping that players' feedback will help shape the game. Beyond possible dedicated dialogue, Flynn didn't mention other possible avenues of growth for its character creator, instead putting that ball in the players' court.
"It depends on the feedback we hear from our community. We’re eager to hear what they want to see in the game."
Currently, backgrounds provide players with a roleplaying hook, but it is easy to imagine how that foundation could be built on. Dialogue options introduce an element of choice, and those choices could, in turn, lead to more player expression within Nightingale.
Another feature that seems ripe for expansion—or at least a form of synergy—with Nightingale's background system is the unique ancestry option in character creation. Players can have their characters 'inherit' the features of ancestral characters to influence their appearance. Depending on how the background system evolves, it might be interesting if characters could receive other traits from their pre-selected predecessors as well, but fans will just have to wait and see as Early Access gets underway.
Nightingale
- Released
- February 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Nightingale is a PVE open-world survival crafting game played solo (offline or online), or cooperatively with friends. Build, craft, fight and explore as you venture through mystical portals into a variety of amazing and fantastical realms.
You are stranded beyond our world, cut off by the collapse of the arcane portal
network. This catastrophe has left you fighting to survive in a labyrinth of beautiful and dangerous Fae realms.
Your goal: become a skilled Realmwalker, and navigate the web of transdimensional portals. Only then can you discover your way to the magical city of Nightingale, the last known bastion of humanity.
Prepare to make your way through Faewild forests, harrowing swamps, and shimmering deserts as you unlock the portals leading deeper into the lands of Fae. Cook meals, build shelter and muster the spirit to persevere in the face of adversity.
