Why should we care about Bound by Flame?

When a brand new game is announced from a developer that’s somewhat unknown, it sparks interest as people want to know more about the premise of the game.

This is certainly the case with Bound by Flame and it’s being developed by Spiders. The game is generating a good amount of hype and this is because there’s an RPG drought at the moment as we eagerly await the release of The Witcher 3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition.

In Bound by Flame the games takes place in a fantasy world under siege by seven ice lords. The player takes the role of Vulcan, a mercenary tasked with trying to defend the beleaguered lands from the minions of evil, which include gigantic, rotting flesh golems and shambling cadavers.

Once the story gets under way, a botched attempt by Vulcan to bolster his strength by summoning a fire demon doesn’t go as planned and he ends being possessed. This in turn, gives him the power of flame but at the potential loss of his humanity.

This duality then becomes the focus of the game, especially when facing off against foes. In what’s become the norm for RPGs, Bound by Flame offers three skill trees you can choose to build your character, each with an Ultimate Ability at the top of the skill tree.

Vulcan can better himself through a tanking tree that lets him use swords, axes and hammers, or choose the nimble ranger tree that sees him focus on twin daggers and a crossbow, gaining speed but sacrificing stamina. The last tree is pyromancy, where it allows the demon within to revel in his more destructive tendencies and reduce enemies to ashes.

The duality also plays a bigger role in the game too, as Bound by Flame will feature a branching plot with multiple endings that take shape depending on the choices your character makes.

Opting to do quests that preserve your humanity while helping others will see you remain recognizable, while choosing the demon’s path will see your armor deteriorate as your body becomes wreathed in flames and, finally, horns jut out the top of your head.

If you’re expecting an RPG experience to rival that of The Witcher 3, you will be surely disappointed. Spiders is more focused on on creating a story-driven experience that will resonate with players rather than creating a massive game.

Bound by Flame is targeting a release in second quarter of 2014 on PC, PS3, PS4 and Xbox 360.

You can check out the story trailer for the game below.

You can sound off in the comments section on what you think about Bound by Flame.