Did you have a fine old time in Blackreach, the mazy, Dwemer-built underside of Skyrim’s sprawling mountain map? Do you like murdering Ents in slow motion? Do you want to see smells? You might be interested in The Axis Unseen, which has just launched on Steam – it’s the work of former Bethesda developer Nate Purkeypile, one of the big brains behind Blackreach.
The Axis Unseen isn’t an open world RPG, nor is it a work of genre fantasy like Elder Scrolls. It’s an open world archery hunting sim, set in a “heavy metal horror” universe, with an appropriately loud soundtrack composed by post-metallurgical maestro Clifford Meyer of Red Sparowes fame.
The game’s monsters can smell you based on the wind direction, and you can track them based on footprints and blood trails. This isn’t some pious exercise in realism, however: you also get a sorcerous bow with arrows that can distort time and change the weather. Arrow effects can be combined, Magicka-style, and there are also unlocks that enhance your senses. “See scent particles,” the Steam page enthuses. “Feel the warmth left behind on their tracks. See colors that no human has ever seen.” I’m not sure my graphics card can handle colours beyond human comprehension, though the system specs don’t look too brutal.
I played an early build of The Axis Unseen at GDC’s Day Of The Devs this year, and swiftly got myself stepped on by Bigfoot. In the 10 minutes or so before I was stepped on by Bigfoot, I particularly enjoyed the game’s shamanistic in-world HUD design, with health, power availability and how much noise you’re making visible as glowing glyphs on your wrists and equipment. I wasn’t especially blown away by the hunting element, but it’s hard to form a clear impression of such delicacies when you’re surrounded by game developers bellowing about the afterparty.
The full game is “20 hours long, more if you’re a completionist”, according to the Steam page. Graham is reviewing this, I think, or at least, putting together some lengthier thoughts about it. He says he’s interested because archery is the only good part of Skyrim, but don’t mind Graham – he’s always saying things like that.