One of the best surprises at Xbox’s Showcase was Clockwork Revolution, inXile‘s new AAA RPG. Described as a “time-bending, steampunk, action-RPG” its premise is certainly unique:
After stumbling across an incredible invention that allows you to travel into the past, you discover the city you call home—the vibrant steam-powered metropolis of Avalon—has been carefully crafted through the alteration of key historical events. By traveling back in time, your interactions and choices in the past will have a butterfly effect on the deep, narrative-driven world and characters of Avalon, causing them to change and react in unprecedented ways.
The project is led by Game Director Chad Moore and Principal Designer Jason Anderson, both veterans who created another steampunk RPG in Arcanum. Brian Fargo, inXile’s Studio Head, had the following to say:
This is an exciting project for us at inXile. Not only is Clockwork Revolution our first fully-fledged Xbox Game Studios release, but from start to finish we’re utilizing the resources and support of Microsoft and Xbox to create our studio’s first AAA first-person action RPG.
Diving a little deeper thanks to Xbox Wire, Clockwork Revolution takes place in the vibrant Victorian-era metropolis of Avalon, where steam trains fly overhead, wealthy industrialists replace their limbs with ornate clockwork prosthetics, and mechanical servants fulfill their masters’ every whim. But this new age of wonders holds a dark secret—it’s been carefully constructed by the ruthless Lady Ironwood. Through use of a time travel device, she’s changed key moments in Avalon’s history, keeping the working class struggling in the slums and factories, while bringing herself immense wealth and power.
Discovering Ironwood’s scheme, you’ll use a wondrous device known as the Chronometer to travel back in time, choose how to influence the past, and then return to the present to experience the effects of your decisions. Through unprecedented and complex visual and narrative depth, the choices you make on your trips into the past will change the people, the stories, and the city of Avalon itself in extraordinary and (very often) unexpected ways.
We’ll have a lot more on Clockwork Revolution leading up to its release. As of now, there is no firm release window but with its aspirations and promise, we simply hope that inXile takes their time to fully develop their vision. We’ll be ready and waiting when it’s complete!
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