It took 10 years to make it occur, however the sequel to considered one of my favourite tower protection video games is lastly nearly right here
Defender’s Quest: Valley of the Forgotten (opens in new tab) is a superb tower protection recreation, and so it wasn’t stunning that in 2013, a 12 months after its launch, a sequel was introduced. After which, nothing occurred.
However now it is again! A decade down the highway, developer Degree Up Labs has formally “re-revealed” Defenders Quest 2: Mists of Smash (opens in new tab) and stated it is going to be out later this 12 months.
Defender’s Quest 2, like the primary recreation, guarantees to combine tower protection techniques with “long-term technique” and RPG-style occasion and character constructing. This time round, gamers will lead a crew generally known as the Hunters on a mission throughout the Shining Lands in a last-ditch effort to avoid wasting the once-lush oasis from a lethal fuel referred to as Mirk.
One of many issues I appreciated most about Defender’s Quest was the writing, courtesy of James Cavin—a bit oddly, it is his solely listed credit score. The underlying story is pretty generic “chosen one” stuff however it by no means takes itself critically, and it is crammed with foolish dialog like this early-game encounter together with your first NPC:
Defender’s Quest 2 is being written by indie developer and PC Gamer contributor (opens in new tab) Xalavier Nelson Jr., whose earlier releases embody Witch Strandings (opens in new tab), House Warlord Organ Buying and selling Simulator (opens in new tab), An Airport for Aliens At the moment Run By Canines (opens in new tab), and the upcoming El Paso, Elsewhere (opens in new tab). He clearly has a knack for the weird, so hopefully it is going to be a superb match.
Delighted to announce that after over a decade of growth, Defender’s Quest 2 is lastly releasing – with me as co-lead and narrative director!Y’all are in for one thing very particular. 🙂 https://t.co/udNHM2xQ7OApril 5, 2023
I initially stated that I did not know why it took 10 years to get an indie tower protection recreation from begin to (nearly) end, however Lars Doucet of Degree Up Labs defined that, merely put, “life occurred.”
“I lastly realized the one approach the sport would ever get completed was if I acquired some ending funds collectively and employed a crew of full timers to assist me get it throughout the end line,” Doucet stated. “That occurred final 12 months once we signed with Armor Video games. That finally acquired the mission again on observe and I feel we made extra progress within the final 12 months and a half then within the previous 5 years.”
He additionally defined that whereas Cavin’s solely listed credit score is on Defender’s Quest, he is really labored on just a few different video games, and continues to be within the business. He is not engaged on Defender’s Quest 2 as a result of he acquired “a proposal he could not refuse” at Imangi Studios, however he did function inventive director on Defender’s Quest 2, and the “total unfastened construction” of the story he’d helped create stays intact. Xalavier Nelson was introduced in to finish the work as a result of he and Doucet are buddies and colleagues, and Nelson is “one of many few individuals I trusted to ship a script that might match the model and power that James would have delivered to the desk.”
“I had Xalavier sit down with DQ1 and instructed him to match the overall model of James’ writing as greatest he may, and I feel he is accomplished a superb job,” Doucet stated.
“No author is fungible, so there’ll by no means be a substitute for James Cavin, however Xalavier is a legendary author in his personal proper and I am very assured that anybody who was a fan of DQ1’s story might be a fan of DQ2’s.”
A launch date for Defender’s Quest 2 hasn’t been introduced, however it’s set to return out in 2023 and is out there for wishlisting now on Steam. And in the event you’ve by no means tried the unique Defender’s Quest, you possibly can see what it is all about without cost because of the demo of the up to date DX Version, which can also be obtainable on Steam (opens in new tab).
