Online action RPG Wayfinder enters early access on August 15th
The free-to-play game's early access isn't free, though
I’m guessing there’s an unwritten and unbreakable commandment that states every 2023 game must release next month. As evidence, the action RPG slasher Wayfinder is entering early access on August 15th. The game has some faint MMO flavours and comes from developers Airship Syndicate (the studio behind Darksiders: Genesis and Battle Chaser: Nightwar) and publisher Digital Extremes (responsible for the long-running Warframe.) The game previously held various closed playtests, but now the metaphorical doors are being opened for more players.
In a somewhat convoluted twist, early access has been paywalled behind four different Founder’s Packs, depite the fact that the eventual 1.0 release will be free-to-play. The Founder’s Packs include the Base tier (£14), Initiate tier (£33), Awakened tier (£60), and the whopping Exalted tier (£99!). You can see what each pack gets you over on the official website. Spoilers: it's mostly cosmetic sets with names like “Silo Firestarter Style." The video below also sheds some light on the kinda different packs.
The team also detailed Wayfinder’s take on battle passes called the Reward Tower, a playable progression system that stays with your account as the seasons roll by. The video below describes it as an “isometric dungeon” that you battle through for keys, which then unlocks more rewards.
Our Ed had a go with Wayfinder’s closed beta where he had some conflicting thoughts about the game:
“Beneath its generic surface is a live service game that's plenty rewarding and, crucially, makes the levelling loop fun with weighty combat. The world is genuinely stunning at times. And I do find myself getting pulled into the currency chase. But I'm unsure whether it's a fresh enough take to survive in such a competitive space, what with your Destinys and WoWs and Genshins. If you like any of the games I've just mentioned, I reckon Wayfinder is worth checking out. If you've done your time in the live service mines, then I doubt it will appeal. I suppose only time will tell - and it's definitely worth watching out for in future.”
Wayfinder opens the early access gates on August 15th on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and PlayStation consoles.