King of Dragon Pass sequel Six Ages raids PC in 2019
Don't steppe to me
Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind is another of those games I've been excited for since the moment it was announced. Long-awaited successor to '90s cult favourite King of Dragon Pass, it's a blend of tribal management and roleplaying presented primarily as as Choose Your Own Adventure. Today, Six Ages gets its first non-teaser trailer, along with a release window announcement - we'll be raiding clans and taking cows again in 2019, although iOS folks will have the game in just a few weeks.
While King of Dragon Pass had you leading the viking-esque Orlanthi people, Six Ages looks to put you in the lead saddle of a more horse-centric, seemingly Mongol-inspired culture within the shared tabletop RPG setting of Glorantha. I'm equal parts excited and dreading having to learn a whole new set of cultural mores and mystical traditions to uphold, as early runs in the original King of Dragon Pass often came to a messy end as you waded into dangers that no true Orlanthi would dream of venturing near.
From the looks of the trailer, very little has changed to the formula of the game. While occasionally you've got to balance your books in a stat-heavy screen or two, the majority of your time playing will be spent consulting your panel of advisers, and making policy decisions in dramatic vignettes accompanied by lush hand-drawn art. The numerical results of your decisions are intentionally obscured, which sounds frustrating but is just part of the charm. After all, you're a medieval chieftain, not an accountant, and nobody can know all things.
While the Windows and Mac version of the game won't be released until 2019, the iOS version (guess who ordered a new Android phone just hours ago...) will be out on June 28th, so I'll just be here, fuming with jealousy at iThing owners for the next few months. You can find more info on Six Ages' official site here.