Teased back in April with the South Korean based indie developer (Needs Games, Inc) CEO performing the obligatory Korean gaming media presser at LPG 2021 in May, UNDECEMBER is being billed as a contender to Diablo Immortal. Both are isometric ARPG’s where UNDECEMBER one ups the latter; besides running on mobile (Android and iOS), it will also run on PC (via Steam) with cross play between platforms. The anticipated release window is Q4 2021 in Korea (it is unclear if this will also be the global launch). The following is the announcement at LPG 2021 from May.
As of August 24th, the publisher (LINE Games Corporation) opened up their websites and social media for the game along with the press release (per Gamasutra).
ARPG and South Korean design/development are pretty much oxymorons because most designers trace their lineage from the large number of PC MMORPG’s that were developed for over a decade beginning in the 2000’s, until venture capital money in South Korea switched to funding mostly mobile games by 2015. The design premise there is the usual MMO style linear progression. When it comes to ARPG style games, they hit the mark on the superficial aspects (isometric camera and ARPG style movement and combat). The pitch of undefined/unlimited classes and unlimited skills (the design objectives in order to reduce the reliance on the usual leveling and progression systems) is contrary to RPG’s where inherent limitations are part of the design.
Little information is also provided regarding actual items and how they are itemized (since that design will always influence the rest of the game systems). Considering there is a huge rune skill system that seems to be the primary method of building out your character, I kind of doubt there is an actual deep itemization system in place (it will likely look more like items in most Korean MMO’s or probably be boring like how Wolcen’s items are).
The removal of auto play functionality for the mobile version is a start, but does not mean that it will translate into meaningful game play and combat. Based on the linked concept trailer in the above linked Gamasutra press release, it screams mobile game ported to PC (sort of like Nexon’s V4). Not saying it will be a bad game; if head to head against Diablo Immortal as a mobile ARPG, it may do fine. But as a PC based ARPG, it likely will end up feeling like the mobile game port that it is. With the slated launch date occurring within these last 4 months of 2021, their designs are pretty much cemented in place. And this game will be like every South Korean developed RPG, designed with little consideration for western preferences when it comes to things like grind level or RNG.
If this comes across as jaded skepticism, I suppose this comes from all the recent years of actually putting in time in Korean designed MMORPG’s (and seeing them fail one by one or just barely hanging on with a niche population). I often times enjoy the graphical/visual design of the characters and the game world but end up being less positive when it comes to the RNG failure based enchanting and cash shop mechanics (removal of QoL and convenience functionality which you can buy back from the marketplace) that is incorporated in the design. I suppose we’ll eventually find out once this releases; I’ll be surprised if this has actual depth to it in terms of story, exploration, and game play.
UPDATE: December 2021 Unveil for January 2022 KR Release
