A few days ago, Respair Games announced their upcoming RTS game Age of Respair, heavily inspired by the Stronghold series. We spoke with Peter Vlasov to learn more about the game and its expected release. Here’s what he shared with us.
“We’re aiming to capture the essence of the original Stronghold and Stronghold: Crusader games. We’ll be watching playtest feedback closely to see what players enjoy most, but we’re particularly excited about the large maps and the exploration opportunities they offer, thanks to the fog of war in each area”, Vlaslov explained when asked about the game’s inspiration. Based on his enthusiasm, fans can look forward to a similar gameplay experience.
“Most battles will focus on castle sieges rather than open-field combat, making siege warfare a core element of gameplay,” he added, indicating a shift from games like Age of Empires. However, siege tactics will be crucial, and we presume most players are eager to see the scale of these battles and how the combat will be played out.
“The game has been in development for over a year, with each team member bringing over nine years of experience. We chose Unreal Engine 5 for its flexibility and our familiarity with it, and we’ve also implemented custom solutions like our own pathfinding system,” Vlaslov concluded. Though relatively new in development, Age of Respair is shaping up to be a passion project that Respair Games is excited to bring to life.
There isn’t a specific release date yet, as we’re focused on achieving high quality without rushing. We plan to start closed playtesting early next year.
Peter vlaslov
English (UK) 
Hrvatski