Blending East and West – Lair of the Leviathan is a handcrafted open-world RPG that’s going straight on my wishlist

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Indie developers often breathe new life into timeless gaming structures, and it’s clear to see why – it proves effective. Today, many gamers struggle to distinguish ’90s JRPGs from Western RPGs without a keen eye for detail. So, instead of choosing one over the other, why not merge their strongest aspects? Lair of the Leviathan is an upcoming title that does just that.

Lair of the Leviathan – A classic RPG reimagined

Let’s clarify something first: What sets Western Role-Playing Games (RPGs) apart from Japanese RPGs?

Western role-playing games (RPGs) originated from “Dungeons & Dragons,” characterized by intricate mechanics and non-linear gameplay. In contrast, 80’s Japanese RPGs were influenced by games like “Ultima” and “Wizardry,” opting for a more streamlined, user-friendly approach. For instance, “Dragon Quest” is essentially a simplified version of a Wizardry-style game, featuring a linear narrative, a predetermined protagonist, and a structured journey to guide the player.

Back in the day, before the mid-’90s, the term “JRPG” wasn’t commonly used. It wasn’t until the PlayStation 2 era, around the early 2000s, that this term truly took off. During this time, I started to notice a significant difference between games like Final Fantasy and those Western RPGs like Fallout or Diablo. The line between them became more defined.

However, genres continue to change, and nowadays, it’s challenging to pinpoint the JRPG sub-genre due to its traditional aspects merging with various others. That’s precisely what Nostalgic Realms and Whiskeybarrel Studios are accomplishing.

The Lair of the Leviathan blends Western-style aesthetics within an expansive open world setting, while incorporating traditional JRPG elements of turn-based battles. However, it offers a more demanding and strategic gameplay experience, with numerous abilities at your disposal. This game will also offer a non-linear narrative, allowing you to advance the story in any order you choose, as well as a comprehensive character creation system for customizing your entire party to suit your playstyle.

In plain terms, when you come across those hexagonal tiles on a battlefield, it’s likely that Heroes of Might and Magic is the game that immediately springs to mind. However, don’t assume this will be another case like Songs of Conquest. Here, there are no troops to assemble, castles or resources to manage – only some visual elements reminiscent of the original game. In essence, those hexagons might have a tabletop strategy game feel rather than being part of an actual strategy game system.

Regarding the game’s artistic design, it appears that the world in Lair of the Leviathan has been meticulously crafted by Nostalgic Realms. From what I understand, this game is expected to be quite extensive, offering numerous dungeons for exploration. Unlike some games that generate their environments procedurally, each location in this game is designed with great care. Truly impressive!

For now, let’s briefly examine the project another programmer is handling, more specifically, get to know them better.

Recently, Oliver Joyce from Whiskeybarrel Studios showcased the hero inventory system in Lair of the Leviathan. Now, if this name rings a bell – that’s right! He is none other than the mastermind behind the Swords and Sandals series. So, if reminiscing about the glory days of flash games has suddenly become irresistible for you, don’t worry, you’re not the only one feeling this way.

If you’re searching for an open-world RPG that revives the finest aspects of the genre, blended with some Japanese Role Playing Game (JRPG) elements and contemporary design, then Lair of the Leviathan is undoubtedly a game worth watching out for, especially given that a demo is coming soon.

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2025-02-24 16:32