Summary
In a games industry filled with survival games borrowing from hit titles likeValheim,Bellwrightaims to set itself apart with a grounded setting, management elements, and narrative focus. Much like otherpromising games similar toValheim,Bellwrightseems to be striking a good balance between the familiar and inventive.
Bellwrightis being developed by burgeoning indie studio Donkey Crew, and will be published by Snail Games, a company best known for theARKfranchise.ARKis one of the more well-established and creative survival-crafting series on the market, blending elements of futurism and fantasy to create a truly unique co-op game world. WhileBellwrightshares a few similarities withARK, it’s noticeably different when it comes to both its game mechanics and its setting, asBellwrightis targeting a realisticexperience, placing players in a grounded, medieval world.Bellwright’s emphasis on narrative is also worth noting, as the game presents a tale of political intrigue, corruption, and mystery.
Why Valheim Players Might Enjoy Bellwright
Bellwright Looks Like a Mix Between Valheim and Mount and Blade
Bellwrighthas quite a bit going on, aspiring to be much more than a traditional survival title. The game will allow players to recruit followers, liberate villages and towns, and lead troops in battle.Mount and Bladefans may perk up at that description, as it sounds strikingly similar to TaleWorlds Entertainment’s medieval civilization franchise. Incidentally, Donkey Crew’s team includes many formerMount and Blademodders, and it looks like the studio is leveraging this experience when it comes to the tone, aesthetic, andlarge-scale combat toBellwright.
That said,Bellwrightincludes several features thatmany players feel are conspicuously absent fromMount and Blade, with perhaps the most notable being settlement building and management. In theMount and Bladegames, players can take over castles or towns and control their resources, but they can’t engage in the sort of settlement-building offered by traditional survival games. This is contrasted byBellwright, which looks to be offering a rather robust settlement-building system, allowing players to customize their towns, build up their defenses, manage resources, and fend off enemy forces. In this way,Bellwrightlooks to be borrowing key elements from bothValheimandMount and Blade, making for a wholly unique experience.
Bellwright’s Story Could Set It Apart
Although manysurvival games feature narrative content, the story usually plays second fiddle to gameplay. Usually, this genre focuses more on lore or world-building than a traditional, linear narrative. Otherwise, the narrative is generally vague and interpretable, rather than direct or fully enthralling.
This may not be the case withBellwright. The game kicks off with the player-character being framed for the murder of the kingdom’s prince, which forces them to live as a fugitive. The story thus follows their journey to uncover the truth behind why this murder was pinned on them, with revelations about history and family being doled out over the course of the plot. The town management, survival, andbase-building gameplay ofBellwrightis couched within this narrative framework, as the player is tasked with uncovering the truth and leading a rebellion against the kingdom’s oppressive regime.
The emphasis on narrative and unique blend of disparate, synergistic gameplay elements makeBellwrightan indie game to follow. Its similarities to best-selling titles likeValheimare notable and may help in drawing in a broader audience, butBellwrightpromises to deliver a more singular experience; it doesn’t seem like a mereValheimclone. The game is set to launch in the first quarter of 2024, so audiences will soon get to see how its melding of varioussurvival and crafting gameplay elementsturns out.
Valheim
WHERE TO PLAY
Valheimis a brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players set in a procedurally-generated world inspired by Norse mythology. Craft powerful weapons, construct longhouses, and slay mighty foes to prove yourself to Odin!EXPLORE THE TENTH WORLDExplore a world shrouded in mystery. Discover distinct environments with unique enemies to battle, resources to gather and secrets to uncover! Be a viking, sail the open seas in search of lands unknown, and fight bloodthirsty monsters.BUILD MIGHTY HALLSRaise viking longhouses and build bases that offer reprieve from the dangers ahead. Customise buildings, both inside and out, with a detailed building system. Progress through building tiers to upgrade, expand and defend your base.GATHER, CRAFT AND SURVIVEStruggle to survive as you gather materials and craft weapons, armor, tools, ships, and defenses. Decorate your hearths and sharpen your blades, grow crops and vegetables, prepare food, brew meads and potions, and progress as you defeat more difficult bosses and discover new recipes and blueprints.
