Fusing turn-based tactics and real-time action, Vaunted is a new strategy RPG from Starcraft creator James Phinney

A millennium since the fall of the last galactic empire, mercenaries and treasure hunters scrap over priceless relics buried in ruins on the fringes of space. This is the world of Vaunted, a new tactical RPG and the debut for indie studio Lost Lake Games. The developer is teaming up with strategy game specialists Hooded Horse to bring its creation to life, which will see a team of “dysfunctional frenemies” and their oft-questionable companions battling against alien threats, giant robots, and dangerous rivals in search of the ultimate score.

Vaunted comes from Lost Lake Games, an independent studio founded by industry veterans, and is “committed to the deeply personal art of making games.” The team is led by James Phinney, co-creator of Starcraft, design lead on Guild Wars and GW2, and creative director of State of Decay, so you already know you’re in good hands. Its first game “takes the intense action of a third-person shooter and blends it with the calculated tension of a high-stakes turn-based tactical RPG, all through the lens of three extremely unreliable storytellers in the middle of an expedition that went horribly wrong.”

While you’ll plan out your moves in turn-based fashion from a high-angle perspective reminiscent of XCOM or Shadow Tactics, you’re able to execute on those ideas in real time. Dodge incoming fire by leaping behind cover, use precision aiming to manually ensure your counterattack strikes the enemy’s weak spot, or send enemies flying with a grenade and then blast them in mid-air before they come crashing back down. Rather than initiative-based turns, you choose who moves when, alternating with your opponents.

There’s far more on offer than just the action, of course. You’ll need to manage your three leads, Dyse, Gendril, and Kyvaath, building their specialities (and those of their dubious allies) through skill trees, loadouts, and randomized upgrades. Vaunted also promises plenty on the storytelling side, letting you learn about each of the characters gradually over the course of your adventure in a unique manner.

Rather than having a single, shared perspective, each of the three heroes has their own version of events, and the way you play will determine which of them becomes the “truth.” Should one fall in battle, the story doesn’t end – instead, you’re offered the option to rewrite the ongoing chapter from someone else’s perspective, which opens up the potential for different conversations, loot, and secrets than you ran into last time.

The Hooded Horse rub continues to be a mark of a game filled with promising ideas, and the publisher’s CEO Tim Bender notes, “I’ve loved the games James Phinney has created in the past, and he and his amazing team have another masterpiece here. Vaunted brings true innovation to RPG and tactical games. I loved playing it even in an earlier form over a year ago when we first became publisher, and the game has been getting more amazing each day.”

There’s no release date set for Vaunted, although the team says it’s “coming soon.” For now, you can wishlist it on Steam if you want to keep up to date with its progress, and be notified when it becomes available. It’s certainly one I’ll be keeping a close watch on.

“As a game developer, there’s nothing better than seeing people enjoy your game,” Phinney remarks, adding that his team is “thrilled” to be working with Hooded Horse. “Striving to build something that really connects with players guides everything we do at Lost Lake, and we see that exact same passion in them.”