The developers ofThe Sinking Cityare taking its sequel in a completely new direction, asThe Sinking City 2will be a third-person survival horror game set in a semi-open world. It’s also independent of the first title, so players will be able to delve into theruins of Arkham, search out clues, and solve various mysteries with no knowledge of the first game. The genre is already a big change for studio Frogwares, which is mostly known for its action-adventure games, but that’s only the beginning.
The upcoming game will have plenty of new Cthulhu Mythos-inspired creatures, a completely reworked combat system, and more, all made using Unreal Engine 5. Game Rant spoke with Frogwares' publishing director, Sergiy Oganesyan, about all the big changes players can expect inThe Sinking City 2.
Changing Directions To Help Ensure The Studio’s Future
It’s all too easy for a gaming studio to become known for one type of game. While this can be a good thing, some studios want to keep things fresh by changing directions and moving into new genres. Not only does this help studios keep things fresh for existing players, but it also helps to draw in new players. Frogwares wanted to move away from their usualaction-adventure gamesto work on something entirely new, Oganesyan explained:
“We’re an independent studio that, for the past 24 years, has become synonymous with detective games. While that’s been great, it has also somewhat pigeonholed us. The industry and player tastes are evolving, and they will continue to do so as long as people are playing. We want to expand both our abilities and our audience now, ensuring the future of the studio. We want to keep doing this for another 20+ years, and in order to achieve that, we need to take bolder steps.”
Fans of the first game in the series will still be able to enjoy all theinvestigative aspects ofThe Sinking Citybut with a survival horror twist. Also, unlike its predecessor,The Sinking City 2doesn’t require players to find all the clues in order to progress through the game. Not only does this add a lot of freedom to the gameplay, but its implications for the story could be as interesting.
A Major Combat Overhaul For The Sinking City 2
In-Development Images of “Wound-Body” System
When compared to the first game in the series,The Sinking City 2takes a completely different approach to combat. Frogwares has rebuilt the combat system with the goal of making it “convincing and satisfying.” This includes key elements that players only really appreciate when they are missing, like punchy recoil and realistic enemy reactions, but the team takes it further with the “wound-body” system. This allows players to see what part of an enemy has been hit and, when combined with the visual and audio effects, creates a more immersive player experience. Discussing this system, Oganesyan said,
“We are taking it up a notch by adding a “wound-body” system that clearly shows where and with what kind of punch a weapon hits an enemy. Usually, in games, when you shoot an enemy, the impact points get covered with a blood decal or something similar, but in our case, enemies have a detailed second layer of bones and muscle tissue that will show when a bullet penetrates their skin. This second layer covers the entire body, so no matter where you shoot, you will always have those realistic (and gory) impact effects. That adds to that feeling of satisfaction that we are aiming for.”
By seeing what damage the player has inflicted on enemies, they can betterprioritize their combat strategiesand develop more planned, precise attacks. This feature looks like it will be popular among those who enjoy a gory gaming experience, and it’s ultimately just one big step in all the changes coming inThe Sinking City 2.
