There’s something so special about creating your own virtual home in a videogame. I, for one, live in a rented apartment, so I can’t put anything on the walls, or make drastic changes to the very beige decor. While, sure, I’ve maybe broken a couple of rules, it still doesn’t quite feel like my home. So, to combat that, I’ve spent hours creating quaint little abodes in Disney Dreamlight Valley, customizing them to the nth degree. Yet I admittedly grow pretty tired of games like DDV because of the lack of, well, action, so when I saw Lynked: Banner of the Spark, I was instantly intrigued.
Revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live, Lynked: Banner of the Spark blends the dynamic hack and slash combat of Dead Cells and Hades with the simplistic city building and upkeep of management games like Stardew Valley.
It’s the year 30XX, and humanity is on the brink of annihilation. It’s up to you, one of the few survivors, to rally the world’s robotic inhabitants against the tyrannical Combots, all while investigating what happened to the legendary group of heroes known as the Banner of the Spark.
Combat plays out in true roguelike style; upgrades will drop mid-run, and you’ll be able to enhance your gear, abilities, and weapons. There are several different classes on offer, too, allowing you to tailor your hero to suit your unique playstyle. You can complete missions solo, or with two other friends, meaning you’ll have to keep party composition in mind to ensure you’re dealing as much damage as you can as quickly as possible.
But when you’re done cutting a path through the Combots, you’ll return to your home away from home. While you’re out in the field you can recruit robot allies to join your blossoming township, and with their aid, you can build it up and watch it flourish. You can gather, farm, and fish to your heart’s content, in turn accruing resources to upgrade your weapons, powers, and gear.
Lynked: Banner of the Spark is the brainchild of former Medal of Honor developer Max Spielberg and Mirror’s Edge development director Tatyana Dyshlova. If the ‘Spielberg’ part rings a bell, that’s because Max Spielberg is, indeed, legendary director Steven Spielberg’s son.
A far cry from Medal of Honor, Spielberg notes that “we got tired of building dark, gory games, so we formed FuzzyBot to make fun, vibrant worlds with a ton of action. We’re super proud to share the world of Lynked: Banner of the Spark with everyone! And honestly, we’re just excited we finally got to make a fishing minigame…” For real, who doesn’t love fishing – especially in a world where every upcoming PC game is dark, dreary, and hopeless?
Fuzzybot has confirmed that the Lynked: Banner of the Spark early access release date is set for Tuesday, October 22. It’ll retail for $24.99, and includes four of the nine total campaign missions, each of which have six combat missions. Progress will also carry across to the full launch, so it’s worth adding to your wishlist so that you can get a head start.
While we wait for Lynked: Banner of the Spark, however, we have a rundown of all the best roguelike games that’s absolutely worth a look. Alternatively, if you’re looking for other co-op experiences to pick up with your pals, we have a list of multiplayer games, too.
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