The early access RPG Entropy marks a significant departure from the previous work of its developers, who gained acclaim for their title Dread Delusion. While Dread Delusion served as a heartfelt tribute to classic first-person RPGs such as King’s Field and The Elder Scrolls, Entropy embraces a distinctly JRPG flavor, evoking the essence of beloved titles like Final Fantasy 10 and Lost Odyssey. However, to categorize it solely as a JRPG would be an oversimplification.
Entropy introduces a range of innovative features, including a larger party size for tactical battles, permadeath mechanics, and locational damage. Its storytelling approach and reactivity lean more towards the PC gaming tradition than the classic PS2 style. Lead developer James Wragg emphasized that these design choices were intentional, aiming to create a unique experience that resonates with players.
Old School
Wragg shared his passion for tabletop gaming, stating, “What I love about tabletop is, it’s just pen and paper. You can house rule stuff as much as you want, so we’ve got a bunch of custom rules in our [Mordheim] campaign.” He believes this flexibility fosters creativity, allowing players to customize their characters extensively. “Something like Mordheim has so much character customization—almost beyond most video games—because it’s tabletop. The developers never actually had to code in the graphics of swinging all these different weapons, and I think that freedom I found really inspiring.”
Entropy’s low-fi graphics further enhance this creative freedom, enabling the team to incorporate a wide array of unique weapons and statuses without the burden of labor-intensive assets and animations. Wragg remarked, “I think if we were working in more high fidelity, we would have had to rein in that ambition a bit.” This tabletop-inspired RPG approach represents a full-circle moment for the developer, who has delved into tabletop history to understand its influence on digital RPGs.
“I just found myself being like, why? Why do RPGs do these things?” Wragg reflected. “If you’re designing an RPG, you have to go back to the source on tabletop games because so many of the systems that exist within modern AAA RPGs originated with Dungeons & Dragons and all those other spin-off games and war games.” His exploration of these roots has informed the design philosophy behind Entropy, reinforcing the notion that the essence of RPGs has remained consistent over time.
Currently available in early access on Steam, Entropy also offers a substantial free demo for players eager to explore its unique world. Wragg and his team, known for their love of sidequests, found it challenging to limit the game’s word count, ultimately opting for a richer, more expansive experience than initially planned.
