How will you treat your companions in the new frontier of GreedFall?

Keep your friends close etc…

During this week’s gamescom event in Cologne, Germany, French developer Spiders gifted us a new trailer for their upcoming RPG GreedFall, an interesting and dramatic-looking adventure set in an alternate 17th century.

GreedFall is the the story of a band of explorers, who set sail for uncharted land in a desperate quest to find the cure for a miserable illness that is plaguing their homeland and threatening to wipe out all of humanity if left untested. Arriving on the mysterious island of Teer Fradee, people politics quickly come into play as the explorers find themselves confronted by the island’s natives, a separate band of invaders, as well as some strange, mythical beings and beasts, all of whom are out for blood from someone or other.

Over the course of the adventure players will be required to play human chess with these characters, using social interactions and – indeed – physical actions in order to maintain a fragile relationship with those who would help or hinder your efforts. Characters you come across can become you companions, with their actions dictated by your own interactions with both them, and those you encounter during your time in Teer Fradee. Will you be able to convince people to assist you? In a pinch, will you use brutality if democracy fails? and – give the urgency of your quest – will the needs of the many overrule the needs of the few?

Another release in Focus Entertainment’s efforts to publish mid-tier, lower-budget, high quality games, I will admit to be quite intrigued by GreedFall. I think it has a unique setting, a style all of its own and, if the companions system proves effective, could make for some emotional and dramatic decision-making. Hopefully, the final product will do just to the developer’s ambition.

GreedFall launches September 10 on PS4, PC and Xbox One.