Logline:
Forge your path in a war-torn interplanetary empire. Avenge your family, fight for peace or seize power for yourself.
Game summary:
The Tengoku Empire is crumbling. Its feudal lords, the daimyo, have turned against the emperor and now wage brutal wars against one another in a struggle for power. Entire cities burn while the common people bear the cost of this endless struggle.
One night, masked warriors descend on your home, slaughtering your family and turning everything you’ve ever known into ash. An old monk rescues you from the massacre, leading you to the safety of his hidden temple. Here, you train your body and spirit to resist and fight back.
Now you must choose. Hunt down those who destroyed your life. Unite the common people to rise up against the daimyo. Or climb the ladder of chaos to seize power for yourself.
Experiential passage:
You sit cross-legged, feeling the cold of the bare stone pressing against you, permeating your body. As you try to clear your mind, it’s difficult to focus on anything but the memory of your father lying stricken at the feet of the masked warrior. Your thoughts and memories still swirl within you, but you must let go.
Remembering the words of Ikko, you allow your thoughts to slowly slip away, focusing on the empty space in between. As your mind becomes quiet, a warmth fills your body, travelling down your arms and legs to fill you with a newfound belief and confidence. You feel yourself becoming stronger and this feeling is met with total calmness as your body accepts the change.
Purpose statement:
Starblade tells the story of war and its consequences on the people who experience it. As you explore the empire and meet the characters in the game, you will learn how decades of constant war have shaped their lives and changed their ideals.
Players will be able to choose their own destiny, following the path of revenge, power or rebellion.
The exploration of a world in a state of chaos and disarray reflects the impact that power has on our lives and how the actions of a few can change the lives of many.
Setting & Visuals
World, themes and inhabitants:
The world of Starblade is inspired by the Warring States (Sengoku) period of feudal Japan, which saw more than a century of civil war. However, the game is set in the interplanetary Tengoku Empire, which includes a number of inhabited planets and moons of the star system.
The control of these celestial bodies is split between five major feudal lords known as daimyo. The power of the feudal lords is upheld by force and propaganda. However, through war and subterfuge, the balance of power shifts between warring lords and rebel factions.
The game begins on Salo, which is a rocky, mountainous moon, rich in mineral deposits. Many of the people living here work in mining communities, though the major city, Gerat, is home to many inhabitants from different cultures. It is controlled by the daimyo Raito, who spends most of his time in his fortified palace.
Religious monks from offworld have also established themselves on Salo, driven here by persecution and now living in a secluded temple. They visit the communities of the moon from time to time, offering spiritual guidance.
The technology, particularly weaponry, is advanced. Soldiers are armed with vibroblades, powered armour and rail guns. However, most citizens live an austere lifestyle, with little access to wealth or technology.
As the player travels through the system, they will see the effect the war has had on its inhabitants and the disregard that the daimyo have for the common people. The primary themes of the world explore the cycle of war and violence, as well as the corrupting nature of power and the oppression of common people.
Visuals
Salo Mining Community – Cramped living conditions and a constant drone of heavy machinery.
[Photo credit: https://www.isett.com/blog/tongues-hanging-out-from-exhaustion-mountain-other-places-i-hope-to-never-go-back-to]
The Monks’ Temple – Isolated from the rest of society and built into a large rocky mountain on the moon of Salo.
[Photo credit: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/04/the-temples-of-mount-fanjing.html]
Raito’s Palace – This heavily fortified palace looms over the rest of the city, reminding the citizens of Gerat who is in charge.
[Photo credit: https://www.amigotrekking.com/best-of-bhutan-with-haa-valley.html]
The game’s visual style uses bold colours with a vivid palette to contrast against the backdrop of a brutal war. Building designs are inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, while cities borrow from cyberpunk media such as Blade Runner.
Character and Bios
Ikko (NPC)
Purpose statement:
Ikko is the PC’s mentor and guide in the opening stages of the game. He helps explain the current state of the world to the player and allows the PC to gain new abilities.
Backstory:
Ikko’s wife and child were killed in an attack on his home city, and he joined the army of a feudal lord to avenge them. However, he became disillusioned by the continuing violence. He deserted the army and joined a monastic order.
After rescuing the player character from the attack on their community, Ikko brings them to the safety of the temple.
Ikko sees themself in the PC and warns them against following a path of violence. However, he will admit that isolation isn’t the answer to conflict and agrees to train them.
Biography:
Age: 60-75 Personality: Wise, stoic and compassionate. Race: Human. Abilities: Meditation, military training.
Visual description:
At first glance, Ikko is an unassuming old man. He carries a staff to support himself, and his weather-worn face betrays little emotion as he speaks. However, his movements are assured, and his body is strong.
References:
Ben Kenobi (A New Hope)
Sample dialogue:
“Grief is a heavy burden, but it is not one you must carry alone.”
“The sword may bring you victory, but it cannot bring you peace.”
“I’ll never forget the pain I felt when they were taken from me, but I no longer remember how it felt to hold them”
Kage (NPC)
Purpose Statement:
Kage is presented as the game’s antagonist, a ruthless daimyo who doesn’t hesitate to use force to achieve his goals. He has made several moves to increase his power, and the attacks on the PC’s family are thought to be his doing.
Backstory:
Kage was born into a high-ranking family. His life has been one of privilege, but from a young age, he has always wanted more. He saw his father’s subservience to the emperor as weakness and murdered him to take power for himself. His ambition is to control the Tengoku Empire, and he will stop at nothing to achieve this.
Biography:
Age: 30 Personality: Cold, ruthless and ambitious. Race: Human. Abilities: Highly intelligent, skilled fighter, stealth armour.
Visual Description:
He wears a suit of modified powered armour. The surface of the metal is capable of absorbing light, allowing him to blend into the shadows as he moves silently.
References:
General Hux (The Force Awakens)
Sample dialogue:
“Weak men hide behind honour, too frightened to take what they truly want.”
“You come here looking for revenge. I will give you death.”
“That mad fool Raito has sent you? He must be getting desperate.”
Raito (NPC)
Purpose Statement:
Raito is one of the main daimyo of the Tengoku Empire, and he controls the moon Salo, where the player character lives. The PC can ally with him, as Raito will gladly support their efforts to take revenge against Kage.
Backstory:
Raito earned himself a fearsome reputation as one of the emperor’s trusted generals, though he seized the opportunity for independence when it presented itself. He has long been an efficient and pragmatic ruler of Salo, but lately, his power has waned as more of his subjects reject his oppressive rule. This has led to growing paranoia as he sees enemies all around him. Most recently, the rise of Kage has become a threat to his authority, and now Raito seeks to rally the other daimyo against him.
Biography:
Age: 51 Personality: Paranoid, calculated and pragmatic. Race: Human. Abilities: Strategic mastermind, energy shields.
Visual description:
A grizzled veteran of many conflicts, Raito’s face is covered in scars and wears the deep lines of age. His silver hair is kept short, and he always wears his heavy powered armour.
References:
Darth Malak (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) and Twin Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Sample dialogue:
“You think I’m a cruel leader? You must not know what true chaos looks like.”
“If you fight under my banner, you must be willing to do whatever is necessary.”
Plot Description
Act 1: Shattered World
You grow up in a mining community on Salo, a world away from the distant wars. However, peace is shattered when soldiers raid, killing your family. You survive thanks to a monk, Ikko, who offers shelter at his isolated temple. On arrival, you work to convince Ikko to train you despite his initial reluctance. The monks receive a distress call from a nearby community that has come under attack. You, Ikko and a small group of monks head to the community to try to rescue the survivors, but fail. However, a clue uncovered during the raid leads you to the city of Gerat.
Act 2: Uncovering the Truth
In Gerat, you investigate a possible lead and news of a rebel uprising, but are captured by Raito’s men. While you are interrogated, Raito recognises your potential and reveals to you that it is Kage who is behind the attacks. He offers you support to help take down Kage. While infiltrating Kage’s fortress, you realise many elements of the story don’t add up. Upon meeting Kage, he reveals that you have been deceived by a master manipulator. You must choose who you believe.
Act 3: The Path of No Return
You choose to side with either Raito, Kage or the rebel forces. From here, you can travel to other planets and moons within the Tengoku system, using combat, espionage and diplomacy to gain favour with powerful factions or weaken them. However, after destroying a city to achieve your goals, you realise you have lost your humanity.
Act 4: Reckoning
Ikko confronts you regarding your actions. In your quest for revenge, you have ignored his advice and brought more devastation to the world. You choose between accepting the damage of your actions and trying to make peace between the remaining warlords, or ignoring Ikko and forcing the remaining lords to submit to you. Regardless of your choice, Ikko sacrifices himself to save you in the final battle.
Design Statement
Stealth
The player can use stealth to avoid patrolling soldiers and hide behind cover. Noise will alert patrols, but this can be used to set diversions or traps.
The game uses stealth to highlight the power disparity between the PC and the daimyo. As the PC becomes stronger and gains allies, stealth becomes less important.
During the mission: Breaking the Siege, the player must use stealth to avoid patrols and free the remaining survivors within the town of Hoshikuza. This involves avoiding patrolling soldiers.
Combat
Using various weapons, players can engage in combat against the soldiers of their enemies. This includes both hand-to-hand and ranged combat.
It is difficult to escape the violence while living in an empire ravaged by civil war. The player may need to directly engage in combat to survive and achieve their goals.
In a later mission, the player leads an assault against the forces of Kage. The player can select which weapons they choose to go into battle with, including powered armour, arc cannons, rail guns and vibroblades.
Choice
The player chooses which goals to pursue and which factions they support. This includes dialogue options and taking on specific missions.
Choices within the game will affect the story while shaping the reactions of other characters to the player character.
The player can choose to kill Kage after he surrenders, avenging the death of their family. This will cause Ikko to lose respect for the PC.
Levelling
After completing missions and learning new information, the player can meditate on their experience and level up their abilities.
As the PC improves their abilities, the player increases confidence, and their feeling of power grows. This reflects the change that the war has had on the PC.
The player can choose to level up stealth, which is an important skill for subterfuge missions. These can be performed to complete goals within the story with minimal casualties.