Towers of Aghasba launches into Early Access November 19 – first look at new gameplay with dev insights

blog.playstation.com:

Building a living space like a home or town, gathering and utilizing resources, and expanding and discovering new ways to interact with your environment are themes that have universal appeal and many players find tremendously satisfying. Now, independent developer Dreamlit Inc. is readying a fresh new take on the building genre with Towers of Aghasba, launching into Early Access on November 19 on PS5. Towers of Aghasba is a visually stunning game in a vibrant, fantastical environment that combines open-world exploration, combat, and adventure with the building and resourcefulness of life sims. We recently got the chance to preview new gameplay and gain some insight from devs on this upcoming enchanting adventure.

A long time ago, the Shimu people were forced from their ancestral land–the titular Aghasba–by a destructive force called the Withering. Fate has intervened with a shipwreck on Aghasba, and the time has now come for the Shimu to reclaim what was taken from them. Stepping into the shoes of the tribe’s Junior Architect, you have many roles to fill: adventurer, hunter, explorer, archaeologist, crafter, fisherman, planner, gatherer, and builder. All of these skills (and more) will be necessary to learn about the Withering and to put an end to the dark force once and for all.

While there are dark forces and belligerent creatures in these lands, you are not thrust into combat, but instead taught the ways of cultivation and construction. By revitalizing the world’s ecosystems and building communities, you work to take back the Withered lands and create new places filled with color and life.

You start small by choosing a parcel of land and planting seeds. The first seed you plant sprouts a strange, small plant creature alongside a Colossal Tree. The tree and numerous plants that grow–over 120 different varieties–bring in other kinds of life and provide resources to build and craft with. By bringing in and planting different seeds, you can cultivate a local