Rapid prototyping the "difference maker" when developing Towerborne

gamedeveloper.com:

This interview has been edited for clarity

The Banner Saga developer Stoic is pushing into uncharted territory with Towerborne.

The studio's latest project is a vibrant co-op adventure that allows up to four players to join forces and rebuild civilization as an "Ace," immortal heroes who must venture into the wilds of a post-cataclysmic world to save humanity from a looming evil.

At its core, the title is a slick action-RPG built around a combat system inspired by classic beat-em-ups. As they explore the world, players must battle unique enemies across a variety of biomes to unlock new equipment, weapons, and abilities so they can better protect The Belfry, a towering citadel that has become humanity's last holdout.

Stoic set out to create a combat system that doesn't restrict players by funneling them into classes, instead letting them hone their playstyle by experimenting with four weapon types: War Clubs, Gauntlets, Dual Daggers, and Swords & Shields. Each one facilities special moves that can be mixed-and-matched depending on how players want to play, letting players further refine their approach. Then, there are Umbra, magical creatures that players can befriend to obtain unique combat abilities—such as a ward of protection or bombastic ranged attack.

Those elements intersect to turn combat into a frenetic, deeply engaging affair, with multiple heroes combining a range of light, heavy, and special attacks in tandem to carve through foes like butter. Stoic is leaning on that old adage of 'easy to learn, hard to master' in a bid to ensure that everybody from novice button-mashers to seasoned combo-junkies can work together as a collective and have a meaningful impact on the battlefield.

After taking Towerborne for a