It’s strange how Consortium has stuck around in my noggin for so long. It was a mess of a game when I reviewed it last year, barely playable at times and overflowing with bugs. But it was ambitious and clever, and I probably think about it a lot more than some games I’ve given more favourable reviews to.
So I find myself intrigued by the second part of the trilogy, which Interdimensional Games is working on right now, though I’m cautious after the first game. The sequel, Consortium: The Tower Prophecy, is certainly looking flashier than it’s predecessor, and the Unreal Engine 4 is probably a better choice of engine than Source, which ended up being quite limiting. Take a gander at the teaser, below.
Like the first game, you play a sort of tourist, possessing the body of a member of an elite organisation that’s irritatingly obsessed with chess. The body in question is Bishop Six, and in Tower Prophesy he’s tasked with rescuing a bunch of hostages from a lovely looking skyscraper. Of course, it’s not as simple as that, because you’re not really Bishop Six and there’s a conspiracy afoot.
“Building on the strengths of Consortium, The Tower Prophecy uses all of the core mechanics, interface systems, gear and dynamic fourth wall shattering concepts for an all new scope: The Churchill Tower, a massive, futuristic skyscraper in the heart of London, England,” explains Interdimensional Games. “What should have been a straightforward mission to rescue civilian hostages from terrorists turns into a global debacle involving a deeply rooted conspiracy where Bishop Six will be forced to question his allegiances and the morality of meddling across the bounds of existence.”