Independent studio Seeker Entertainment, a team comprising veteran developers from major companies like Blizzard Entertainment, Riot Games, and Maxis, has officially announced KinForge, a cooperative creature collector action RPG. The game is currently in early development and will first launch on PC via Steam, with potential console releases to follow. The developers state that KinForge is built on themes of cooperation, courage, and hope, aiming to connect, inspire, and restore players through shared gameplay.
Core Gameplay: Elemental Bonds and Fusion
KinForge is centered on the concept of bonding with and utilizing Elementals, which are the living forces of nature. In the game’s world, humanity enslaved these Elementals, driving them mad and leading to a Corruption that causes the planet to rebel with unchecked storms and decaying forests. Players are chosen by Ancient Elementals to fight this Corruption and restore balance.
The combat system is highly customizable and mastery-driven:
- Ancient Elementals: Each Ancient Elemental you befriend grants a new primary ability (e.g., fire blasts or stone barriers) to use in battle.
- Sprites: Lesser spirits called Sprites can be woven into these primary abilities, twisting and amplifying their effects.
- Fusion: This fusion of powers creates new experiences and wild combos. The right pairing can turn a fire blast into a homing inferno or a strike into a storm of lightning and ash. The developers boast billions of potential combinations.
Co-op, Procedural Content, and Progression
The game offers both solo and co-op play for up to four players, who venture into corrupted regions to rescue lost spirits and confront human “Overseers” who profited from twisting nature.
- Campaigns: The game is structured around 10-hour campaigns, each defined by a powerful Overseer who influences the enemies and challenges.
- Procedural Replayability: Every new campaign is procedurally generated, ensuring the maps, enemies, and Overseer tactics shift each run, guaranteeing every journey feels distinct.
- Enduring Progression: Though each campaign begins fresh, all previously unlocked items, Elementals, bosses, and upgrades are carried forward, ensuring permanent growth.
- Sanctuary: Between missions, players return to their Preserve, a living refuge where they can regroup, reincarnate fallen Elementals, craft new ability kits, and build upgrades that strengthen their overall efforts.
KinForge is designed as a standalone action RPG built around 100+ hours of handcrafted and procedural content, promising deep replayability without the grind of a typical live-service title.
