3D turn-based indie RPG Y2K from Ackk Studios has been officially unveiled for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. The game is being created by Two Brothers developer Acck Studios, with the added assistance of partner Ysbryd Games. YDK takes inspiration from Japanese turn-based RPGs, in particular Mother and Haruki Murakami.
Ackk Studios co-director Andrew Allanson explained the basic plot and core premise of YDK in a PlayStation Blog post:
“When an erratically-behaving elevator claims the life of a young woman, unemployed recent college graduate Alex Eggleston takes to a primitive 1990s message-board to find answers about the death of this stranger.
His quest for answers leads to more questions as his research points him to a mysterious van the internet has dubbed the ‘Death Cab’. This vehicular oddity roams the game’s city and countryside. Who is driving it? And despite mysterious happenings surrounding the vehicle, why does no one seem recognise its threat?
On Alex Eggleston’s journey, he reunites with childhood friends, encounters a girl who can traverse the Soul Space to reside in new realities, and a multidimensional android who sets the events of the game in motion.”
Allanson promises that there will be a strong emphasis on story in YDK, with the game boasting a 400-page script along with a cast of voice actors.
The game looks set to include a number of unique and quirky gameplay elements. For instance, players who want to grind up the levels when they come up against a boss battle that’s too tough for them can dial 333 on the nearest pay phone. This takes the player into the Mind Dungeon, an area which is specifically designed for grinding. However, it also contains chests that unlock new moves that can only be found in the Mind Dungeon.
Although YDK uses a well-trodden turn-based combat system, players are given the ability in the game to speed up the course of the battle. Doing so does present a risk, as players will have to input commands faster. Another interesting element that has been added to the turn-based combat is the ability to bring standard items from the game world into combat. For example, players can use a ladder, a box, or a bomb they might be carrying in order to solve a puzzle against an enemy. In fact, early on in the game using these items might be absolutely necessary against certain enemies.
Y2K will be coming to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita at some point in the future, however gamers heading to the PlayStation Experience in Las Vegas in December will be able to get their hands on the game there.