As you dash towards the exit, the alarm echoes round the corridors of the space station. Behind you, all you can hear are the shouts of the security guards and their heavy boots pounding against the floor. You quickly bark at Ogan to place a sentry gun to keep the approaching enemies at bay. Meanwhile, you watch in horror as Alyse tries the door, only to find it’s locked. The security guards are getting closer. With a robotic chirp, Curby heads to the nearest terminal and begins hacking, as he tries to unlock the exit. Suddenly the sentry gun barks into life, as Curby issues a whistle of success. The door opens with a swish and reveals a giant, raging, psychic space jellyfish that immediately surges towards you. Well, no one said breaking into a top-secret hi-tech laboratory was going to be easy…

This is just a typical scenario in Star Saga, the new sci-fi dungeon crawler from Mantic Games. With Star Saga we wanted to create the archetypal dungeon crawler, but with a slight twist, moving from the dank corridors of a fantasy castle to the hi-tech glare of a space-age facility. Of course, we originally considered taking the characters from our hugely popular Dungeon Saga series and giving them goggles, but we weren’t certain if this would be sci-fi enough! 

~ Back to the Drawing Board ~

So, we went back to the drawing board to see what worked in Dungeon Saga and what players liked. The general feedback was that players enjoyed the sense of exploration, the co-operative team dynamic, and the 3D scenery. However, there was a sense that some of the rules were a little fiddly and there wasn’t enough meaty, storytelling elements to sink their teeth into.

We knew that one of the biggest differences in Star Saga was the fact the heroes would now be armed with hi-tech laser guns or flamethrowers, rather than swords and axes. With this in mind, there’s a simple system for utilizing cover, alongside a refined line-of-sight mechanic that allows characters to lean out from behind cover to blast their opponents. This will allow you to recreate those dramatic shootouts in claustrophobic corridors we’ve all seen in classic sci-fi movies.

~ Don’t Bring an Axe to a Lasergun Fight ~

Of course, with all these great new weapons, you can bet there’s going to be lots of combat! This is an element we’ve streamlined massively from Dungeon Saga. One player becomes the Nexus Player – the sci-fi dungeon master, if you will – who’s in charge of the evil scientists, merciless Marines, and devious bosses. Meanwhile, up to four players step into the shoes of the mercenaries that have been employed to infiltrate the mysterious facility. During combat, the Nexus player and opposing mercenaries roll a set of custom dice, then simply compare the results to see who’s been successful.

~ Are You Sitting Comfortably? ~

Based on player feedback, another element we’ve worked hard on is making sure the scenarios have a more narrative feel. As a result, as the mercenary players explore the laboratory, the Nexus player will have scripted elements, along with paragraphs of text to help set the scene and engage the players. The story is full of twists and turns to keep everyone on the edge of their seat!

What’s more, each scenario in the main quest book is now completely customizable. Once you’ve gone through labyrinthine passageways of the Eiras Contract scenarios, you can replay them with different scenarios or even change the enemies you’re required to fight. This is because each mission has suggested point values for both mercenaries and minions; making the game infinitely replayable.

~ Take it to the Next Level ~

Finally, we were keen to create a campaign system that was rewarding for the mercenary players. So, as the characters knock out enemies, hack terminals, or find special equipment, they’ll be leveling up. Once they reach a certain level, they’ll gain new and increasingly more powerful abilities. Plus, by exploring the various locations, mercenaries can potentially uncover valuable new loot that will help turn the tide in future encounters!

We’re extremely proud of Star Saga here at Mantic and feel it’s a great spiritual successor to Dungeon Saga that improves upon the original to create a more exciting and engaging experience! In space no one can hear you roll dice.

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Rob Burman is the online sales and social media manager at Mantic Games. He loves goblins, but you shouldn’t hold that against him.