Philosophy and Duality: Examining the Inspirations Behind the Upcoming Action RPG, Empyreal

We lately introduced our debut recreation, Empyreal, coming to Xbox Sequence X|S in 2025, and we wish to let you know just a little extra about the recreation’s setting and inspirations.

Empyreal is an motion RPG in a richly detailed sci-fi fantasy universe. Whereas the setting is sci-fi, that includes futuristic know-how and intergalactic civilizations, the really feel and temper is extra fantasy. And although know-how replaces the “magic” from a conventional fantasy setting, the supernatural and the divine play a major function in the lore and story of this universe.

The sport begins along with your character arriving on a hitherto unexplored planet, solely to find the remnants of a misplaced civilisation. What’s extra, it quickly turns into clear that, although historic, this civilisation made breakthroughs and discoveries which are far, far faraway from humanity’s understanding of the trendy world.

Quickly, you might be confronted with a looming and inscrutable monolith. Why is it right here? Who constructed it? What’s it for? And what energy does it include?

Naturally, we received’t be answering these questions for you right here and now – these discoveries (and extra) are so that you can make once you play for your self. Nevertheless, what we wish to share are a few of the esoteric references that influenced a few of the themes in the story, and the relevance they maintain even to the trendy world.

Embracing a Paradox

Whereas the universe of Empyreal shouldn’t be immediately primarily based on or associated to a particular tradition or mythology from historical past, there’s one determine that represents an essential concept that permeates a core theme of the narrative in the recreation – the historic Greek god, Dionysus.

Dionysus is often portrayed as a drunken occasion animal in a lot of recent pop-culture media, however in his seminal work “Dionysus: Fantasy and Cult”, classical philologist Walter Otto paints a way more full and advanced image.

Whereas there’s reality in Dionysus being the god of wine and the competition, he was additionally the god of insanity and loss of life. Though at first this may increasingly appear a perplexing juxtaposition, is there some reality we are able to be taught from it? Otto claims that in “The visage of each true God is a visage of the World”. In different phrases, even in fantasy, we invariably discover an correct perception into the nature of the world.

In the case of Dionysus, he represents the paradox of duality. The understanding that life and loss of life, insanity and magnificence and battle and creativity are opposites, and but additionally pre-requisites for one another. Embracing this paradox is a core philosophy behind Empyreal – to see the universe as each a “Mystic Temple and a Corridor of Doom” (an concept launched by Thomas Carlyle in his textual content, Traits) and to simply accept this twin nature in its totality. This life-affirming perspective is called the “Tragic View”.

Empyreal doesn’t characteristic an encroaching however ill-defined “darkness”, or a “corruption of the land”. Nor does it characteristic a pantomime villain of inexplicable evil for no different motive than to have an “evil antagonist”. As an alternative, the story and characters are designed to immediate cautious reflection on the nature of humanity, our place in the universe and what it really takes to ensure the way forward for mankind.

Exploring the Human Situation

Now, simply because Empyreal doesn’t characteristic a “large dangerous” intent on destroying the world for no matter motive, that doesn’t imply the recreation is with out battle. As earlier than although, the intent is for this battle to replicate the battle that life itself invariably presents.

Unsurprisingly, you aren’t the just one invested in the exploration of this misplaced civilisation and its achievements. While you arrive on the planet, it’s ostensibly to offer a aid effort to a beleaguered expedition that has already been there for 2 lengthy years, with little progress and innumerable setbacks to point out for it.

One another member of the expedition is a vital character with their very own private questlines you could select to observe for distinctive rewards. There are 9 of those quests in whole, with every questline exploring a special aspect of the human situation, primarily based on the beliefs of the particular person themselves, the challenges they’ve confronted and what they hope to in the end obtain.

For instance, there’s an achieved scientist who, regardless of their achievements, lives in the shadow of their Nice Grandfather, who made technological breakthroughs that remodeled trendy residing. This character has dreamt all their life of creating an modern breakthrough to rival that legacy, and in reverse-engineering the know-how of the misplaced civilisation, that chance has seemingly offered itself.

You’ll be able to select to help them of their targets, however additionally it is attainable to set them on a special path by sharing even larger perception into the true divine nature of the cosmos, which then places the character’s relentless materials pursuits into sharp perspective.

There may be additionally a veteran of a number of wars who’s now the Quartermaster of the expedition. Having seen the excesses of humanity in his time, he’s pragmatic and optimistic, however acutely appreciates the must have a agency understanding of 1’s personal beliefs; a strong basis on which one is ready to face the world. Consequently, he’ll ceaselessly problem you in your beliefs and play satan’s advocate regardless of your response.

Selection and Consequence

These are simply a few small previews of the characters you’ll come throughout in Empyreal. Not solely do all 9 characters have questlines you may observe, however each has at the very least two distinct endings. Quests can play out in another way relying in your decisions and accomplishments and every ending provides a novel reward. However don’t fret an excessive amount of about which option to go in a given quest – the recreation will characteristic a completely fleshed out New Recreation+ at launch, so that you’ll be capable of return and experiment with totally different outcomes in subsequent playthroughs.

That’s about all we’ve acquired time for on this weblog. Whereas we’ve got touched on just a few of the inspirations and references that affect Empyreal’s themes and narrative, that is removed from a complete record, and there’s rather more to be uncovered. The sport attracts closely on classical and existentialist philosophy, theology and historical past, with many inspirations not talked about right here that we sit up for gamers discovering and discussing as they play the recreation.