Wyldheart has officially been unveiled, and it looks like it is aiming straight for the sweet spot between cosy tabletop chaos and a proper fantasy co-op RPG. As per the press release, this new project from Sweden-based Wayfinder Studios is coming soon to PC, with wishlist pages now live on Steam and the Epic Games Store, alongside a Kickstarter campaign for anyone keen to back it early.
Built by former developers from EA DICE, Embark Studios and Mojang Studios, Wyldheart casts you and up to three friends into a handcrafted fantasy world packed with swordplay, magic, lore and the sort of adventuring that feels tailor-made for game night.
Wyldheart wants to bring tabletop energy to fantasy co-op RPGs
The big pitch here is simple, but strong. Wyldheart is a co-op action RPG for up to four players, with campaigns that last around 10 hours each. There is also said to be around 15 hours of optional content, so there should be plenty to dig into if your group is in the mood to poke around every ruin and chase every rumour.
You are not playing as world-saving chosen ones, either. Instead, you and your mates are an unknown party with your own story to carve out. That means investigating whispers, exploring long-forgotten ruins and trying not to get flattened by whatever horrors are lurking across the fallen Kingdom of Caerwyn. Lovely stuff.
Wayfinder Studios says the world is filled with villagers who have their own lives, stories and schedules, while quests can be uncovered through eavesdropping, exploration and following rumours. So yes, it sounds like being nosy might actually be a core mechanic here.
Classless builds, co-op campaigns and a proper fantasy world
Character creation looks set to be one of Wyldheart’s bigger hooks. Players can choose from fantasy folk including the Freefolk, Mossling and Grimhorn, then shape their adventurer with one of 19 backgrounds.
Rather than locking players into strict classes, the game uses a classless system that lets you spread points across Adventuring, Survival, Dungeoneering, Weaponry and Magic. In theory, that should open the door to more flexible builds and a bit less of the usual “right, who forgot to roll a healer?” energy.
Outside of combat, players will also be able to gather materials, craft items, cook meals for the party and upgrade gear before heading back out into the wilds. So it is not all monster-slaying and dramatic last stands. Sometimes you have to sort dinner first.
On the co-op side, Wyldheart supports solo play as well as drop-in, drop-out four-player co-op, with cloud-shared saves, group XP and scaling difficulty. According to the press release, that setup is designed to make it easier for busy players to keep a campaign going even when someone cannot make the session.
A new indie RPG from veteran developers
Wyldheart comes from a small indie team led by co-founders Dennis Brännvall, formerly Creative Director of Star Wars Battlefront II, and Fia Tjernberg, formerly Studio Director of Technical Design at EA DICE.
They are joined by multiplayer veterans Kirsten Schäfer and Manne Ederyd, with the studio aiming to blend the cosy feel of tabletop gaming with a larger fantasy RPG structure.
It is an ambitious pitch, no question, but there is something immediately appealing about a game that seems to understand the joy of getting a few friends together, making slightly questionable choices and seeing where the story goes.
Wyldheart is coming soon to PC. You can wishlist it now on Steam and the Epic Games Store, or support the project through Kickstarter.