With a pedigree that includes former BioWare developers, it’s no surprise that Inflexion’s upcoming survival game,Nightingale, has a wealth of lore for its Realmwalkers to uncover. Given the names involved in its development, many would thinkNightingale’s narrative is the first and foremost priority, but it’s the blending of that narrative with its gameplay instead.
From its alternate history rife with Fae engaging with human society to the city of Nightingale symbolizing the ultimate safe space,Nightingalepresents a world that invites players to explore and discover. Elements of both story and mysteryaren’t uncommon in the survival genre, but expectations ofNightingaleare particularly high in this regard given its unique premise.
The Inflexion Approach of Blending Gameplay and Narrative
Game Rant spoke withNightingaledevelopers ahead of the game’s anticipated release, including Neil Thompson, art director for the game, about how Inflexion sought to balance their penchant for storytelling with the conventions of the genre. Ultimately, he said, it isn’t for him to decide how well those concepts are blended, but Inflexion is confident in the result.
Whether they mesh well or not will really be a question to ask our players! From our perspective, it seemed like a very natural fit. The lore is there to provide a premise within which our players can role-play and tell their own stories in the context of the world that we’ve given them.
Attracting fans of role-play makes sense for a studio whose lineage traces back to the deeply immersive games developed by BioWare. As seen in otheronline games likeGrand Theft Auto Online, roleplayers can have a major role in a game’s longevity. However,Nightingalealso needs to draw in players of survival games, so the lore and story cannot get in the way of the need for discovery either, with Thompson adding,
Players should also be self-directed in their realmwalking activities; you don’t need to know anything about the lore to explore and have fun in the game. What we hope is that we’ve found a balance whereby our narrative aspects enrich the experience for players.
Nightingale: ‘Lore Should Never Be So Heavy-Handed’
Whether players choose to explore this world in solo or co-op, they won’t be alone.Nightingaleuses NPCs as a means of players engaging with the world. They can help carry the player’s growing materials, gather them themselves, and help in combat. From the get-go, it’s clear how much the survival experience takes precedence on a systemic level. Survival gameplay and anopen-world experiencecome first, with the story trappings spread throughout as players choose to interact with them. That means knowing when to let the story take a backseat, as well as knowing how to let it shine.
This is still an open world experience and the lore should never be so heavy-handed that players feel they are forced to engage with it. Our NPCs can offer quests and provide information about the realms and the wider world ofNightingale.
While how balanced the lore and gameplay are, as Thompson pointed out, up to the players, it’s clear how much thought went into this on Inflexion’s side. Luckily, because it is such a customizable experience, players will ultimately be able to engage inNightingale’s lore and gameplayas they see fit.
Nightingale
WHERE TO PLAY
Nightingale is a PVE open-world survival crafting game played solo (offline or online), or cooperatively with friends. Build, craft, fight and explore as you venture through mystical portals into a variety of amazing and fantastical realms.You are stranded beyond our world, cut off by the collapse of the arcane portalnetwork. This catastrophe has left you fighting to survive in a labyrinth of beautiful and dangerous Fae realms.Your goal: become a skilled Realmwalker, and navigate the web of transdimensional portals. Only then can you discover your way to the magical city of Nightingale, the last known bastion of humanity.Prepare to make your way through Faewild forests, harrowing swamps, and shimmering deserts as you unlock the portals leading deeper into the lands of Fae. Cook meals, build shelter and muster the spirit to persevere in the face of adversity.
