The Lonesome Guild Interview – Story, Replayability, Gameplay Variety, and More

The upcoming title, “The Solitary Fellowship,” is a single-player RPG that aims to narrate an epic tale of heroism. In this game, players assume the identity of Ghost – a spirit devoid of personal memories. During their journey, they encounter an eclectic ensemble of characters who eventually transform into heroes. Technical Art Director Ruben Caliandro graciously responded to our intriguing queries about diverse gameplay elements, replayability, and the game’s immersive world in “The Solitary Fellowship.

In the crowded field of action RPGs, what makes The Lonesome Guild unique compared to similar games currently available?

At the core of “The Lonesome Guild” lies the theme of unity, suggesting that it’s only by leaning on one another that the heroes can conquer hardships: on their own, no hero is powerful enough to tackle the trials ahead, but through camaraderie and teamwork, they can surmount any obstacle.

In The Lonesome Guild, the core element is its gameplay mechanics, which heavily emphasize cooperation and bonds among the player’s party members. Unlike most action RPGs that prioritize an individual character’s abilities and skills, this game revolves around the synergy and relationships between the characters. The exploration, puzzle-solving mechanics, and combat are all structured to promote teamwork, with the combat design specifically catering to working together as a group. Instead of controlling a single hero, players must carefully switch between characters, making sure each member makes the most of their individual potential while also leveraging the power of their allies.

The Lonesome Guild is centred on cooperation and relationships between party members.”

The main character, Ghost, is a distinctive figure, being an intangible being unable to touch the physical world. He relies heavily on his companions for daily tasks like handling objects or engaging in direct battles. However, his true power stems from his connection with other heroes, as he can combine with them to boost their skills. This union makes them stronger, provides them with extraordinary abilities, and allows them to release a burst of energy through a unified ultimate move.

How big of a role will the story play in The Lonesome Guild?

In “The Lonesome Guild,” the captivating and layered narrative takes center stage in the game. Players find themselves engrossed in the saga of Etere, a realm plagued by a loneliness curse that’s spreading chaos and imperiling life throughout. Simultaneously, the game delves into the personal odysseys of its characters, each bearing their unique loneliness, hardships, and ambitions. Initially, these individual narratives appear distinct; however, as the story unfolds, they intertwine, eventually forming a cohesive narrative, a common goal, and a heartwarming tale of camaraderie among heroes.

In this game, the narrative unfolds via captivating cinematic scenes, engaging dialogue, pop-up messages called ‘in-game balloons’, chat interactions displayed on the Heads Up Display (HUD), and exquisitely designed 2D animated sequences.

We aim to make the game enjoyable for everyone, ensuring those who prefer a gaming-centric experience can effortlessly bypass narrative elements without missing out on fun. On the other hand, for story enthusiasts, The Lonesome Guild delivers an engaging and captivating adventure. Moreover, dialogue options in our game have consequences that affect gameplay mechanics and relationship development, significantly impacting the RPG advancement system.

In the realm of Action Role-Playing Games, it’s common for the development systems to be a key feature. So, what kind of progression system does The Lonesome Guild provide?

The Solitary Guild leverages traditional ARPG advancement yet introduces distinctive elements stemming from the concept of camaraderie. A captivating novelty is the bond strength between Spirit and each character, crucial for traversing their skill development path. Players have the freedom to prioritize certain connections over others via dialogue options and missions, thereby influencing character evolution in a significant manner.

Each character follows a distinct, narrative-based development track based on their personal relationships, boasting exclusive skills and enhancements. Players have the freedom to combine these characters into their active team, allowing for creative experimentation with various build options tailored to individual tastes and gameplay style.

Our goal is to ensure that the gaming experience can be enjoyed by all, providing an option for those who wish to concentrate solely on the game mechanics to effortlessly bypass any narrative elements without missing out on the enjoyment.

Will there be any option for co-op multiplayer?

In our tiny game development studio, we’re pouring all our efforts into creating an exceptional and gleaming solo journey for our first action RPG – a fact evident in our creation, “The Lonesome Guild,” which is designed exclusively for one player’s immersive experience.

The game centers on a sole player controlling an entire team, rotating characters when necessary while monitoring their condition, skills, and placement. It’s not just about independently playing each character; it’s about orchestrating the team as a collective unit, making sure everyone functions harmoniously.

The spirit holds a pivotal and singular position, particularly in battle scenarios, thus it poses challenges when attempting to adjust the fundamental gameplay mechanics for cooperative multiplayer mode without potentially altering the original gameplay experience.

What kind of replayability can we expect from The Lonesome Guild?

In the game known as “The Lonesome Guild”, although the storyline follows a predominantly sequential path, there’s always a motivation for gamers to revisit it once they’ve finished playing.

Through crafting diverse interactions between Ghost and the characters, players gain access to skills that were previously unavailable, opening up opportunities for innovative build and party configurations. This also presents chances to undertake additional side missions, uncover secret treasures, and elevate the game’s difficulty for those seeking a more demanding experience in future playthroughs.

What can you tell us about the world of Etere?

Eteria is an energetic, breathing world teeming with various landscapes, races, and societies, each with their unique customs, rituals, and tales from the past. The first time our author narrated the planet’s history, tracing its creation to when the events of “The Lonesome Guild” unfold, left me awestruck by the immense scale and depth of its history! Eteria’s history is intricate and interconnected, as the stories of its civilizations weave together across centuries, influencing the world players encounter in the game’s current timeline.

The game merely hints at the depth of this intricate folklore, providing a limited peek into the immense expanse of this realm steeped in ancient mythology and religion, some of which have been supplanted. Remnants of forgotten faiths linger, while echoes of bygone eras and actions occasionally resurface. However, most of this folklore remains unexplored; yet, it subtly permeates the game in intricate details such as a mural in the ruins of an abandoned fortress, the habits of the characters players meet, the design of a settlement, or even the layout of an entire ecosystem.

How much of Etere will we get to explore in The Lonesome Guild?

Over time, Etera underwent significant transformations. Where a bustling metropolis once flourished, only dilapidated ruins are left standing; where once stretched the vast expanse of an ocean, now a city rises in the heart of a desert, encircled by monumental walls fashioned from sea and stardust.

Players delve into The Lonesome Guild can discover a glimpse of each biome as depicted during the narrative’s timeline. Despite only presenting a narrow slice of what the entire game universe might encompass, our aim was to exhibit an impressively varied assortment of settings.

Etere is a lively, bustling world, teeming with various landscapes, inhabited by numerous races and cultures, all with their unique rituals, norms, and histories.

In this game, every one of the 19 distinct regions showcases a unique aesthetic, with each region within the same biome having its own individual flair. The five diverse biomes span quite a range, from the snow-topped metropolis of Tallyoh nestled beneath the organ-shaped peaks of Sootpipes, to the towering Spiral Tower in Nunuit, a city situated amidst the vast Sahduat Desert.

Furthermore, players will come across six diverse cultural landscapes, each boasting a unique past, aesthetic, and traditions. Non-player characters (NPCs) and adversaries are specifically tailored to each environment, resulting in an engaging and dynamic experience as exploration, conversation, and combat offer distinct experiences throughout the world of Etere, creating a world that feels vibrant and authentic!

Will there be many gameplay variety options in the form of different weapon types?

Absolutely! The game will provide a lot of diversity in gameplay, not just by having various weapon types, but through an extensive collection of skills instead. Each character comes equipped with a weapon and basic attacks, but the true variation lies in the 24 unique skills they can acquire. Characters can equip up to 4 skills and use any two at the same time, leading to numerous combinations for character builds.

Every character boasts a distinctive team-assisting ability fueled by Ghost, which benefits the entire squad uniquely. Additionally, Ghost’s power allows for a powerful collaborative assault, accessible regardless of the player’s chosen build, and can be tailored to suit the party composition based on skill tree upgrades.

With three selectable characters from a pool of six, we strive to provide ample room for players to tailor their team and strategy in combat, and to enhance this versatility even more, the game offers a range of consumables and gear, some of which are legendary items that introduce unique battle dynamics.

Are there any plans to bring The Lonesome Guild to the Nintendo Switch or the Switch 2?

Though talks about bringing “The Lonesome Guild” to Nintendo consoles have surfaced, at present, no concrete plans are in place. Despite the belief that the game could seamlessly integrate with Nintendo’s platforms, there are substantial technical hurdles that need careful consideration.

In our smaller production environment, we’re committed to perfecting, refining, and delivering our game for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 by Fall 2025. The game’s large cast of characters, intricate visual effects, and immersive settings demand significant resources, making an immediate port to the Nintendo Switch challenging. However, we look forward to exploring a possible adaptation for the Nintendo Switch at a later stage.

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2025-04-24 19:12