As a part of right now’s Xbox Companion Preview broadcast, we’re thrilled to disclose a sequel to Raji: An Historical Epic, the multi award profitable indie action-adventure title set in historical India. Raji: Kaliyuga isn’t only a easy follow-up to the unique’s story, however a complete new recreation solely – with an further playable character, new motion mechanics and, most ambitiously, a wholly new third-person perspective.
When Raji: An Historical Epic was first created, Nodding Heads Video games was a younger studio, pushed by pure ardour, perception, and a collective dream to set up India on the worldwide gaming stage. We confronted quite a few challenges with restricted sources and a small group, but we possessed huge ambition. Years later, we have developed right into a mature and intentional studio. Our studying extends past simply making a recreation; we’ve realized to construct a universe. We’d like to speak you by our new venture.
An Epic Continuation
Raji: An Historical Epic was by no means supposed to be a standalone story. The primary recreation ended on a deliberate cliffhanger — from the very starting, the story was meant to proceed.
Set six years after the unique, Raji: Kaliyuga expands on the battle, portraying not only a struggle amongst mortals however a cosmic wrestle involving gods, asuras, and mystical forces. The traditional asura warlord, Mahabalasura, unseals the heaven’s doorways, shattering the divine equilibrium and plunging all realms into countless struggle.
The story facilities on Raji, now a seasoned warrior, and her youthful brother, Darsh, a younger dreamwalker haunted by visions of the previous and future. Collectively, they embark on a dangerous journey to the Everlasting Summit, traversing numerous lokas (realms). Their future hangs in the stability: will they save the universe, or be compelled to destroy it to finish the battle?
Making a Second Hero
Raji: Kaliyuga options twin protagonists, permitting gamers to embody each Raji, the warrior of religion, and Darsh, the dreamwalker. Characters change based mostly on story occasions and act as companions to 1 one other. Raji employs acrobatic martial arts and wields the divine Trishul, whereas Darsh awakens to immense powers, controlling Siddhis to govern gravity, time, and power.
Integrating Darsh as a playable character alongside Raji is a core improvement for Raji: Kaliyuga, enhancing the narrative and gameplay expertise in a number of key methods:
Emotional Closure and Perspective: The primary recreation left Darsh’s destiny unsure. Taking part in as Darsh permits gamers to actively expertise his journey, offering a private and emotional decision to the occasions of Raji: An Historical Epic.
Embodying Cosmic Duality: Raji and Darsh embody the basic stability of the cosmos – Raji representing religion and the warrior, and Darsh representing imaginative and prescient and the dreamwalker. Controllable duality provides this central theme tangible type for the participant.
The Energy of Reunion: The emotional coronary heart of the story is the siblings’ separation and eventual reunion. Gamers will witness how every character has developed and the way their mixed energy shapes the continued struggle.
Layered Worldview: Raji’s journey was rooted in responsibility and religion, whereas Darsh’s explores introspection and future. Switching between their viewpoints affords a deep, multifaceted understanding of the sport’s world and battle.
Complementary Gameplay: The characters provide distinct and diversified playstyles. Raji wields the divine energy of the Trishul, whereas Darsh instructions Siddhis (supernatural powers). This selection enriches fight, puzzle-solving, and boss battle methods, and permits gamers to craft their very own fight types.
Dynamic Pacing: The shifting management between Raji and Darsh at completely different story junctures retains the sport’s momentum and pacing contemporary.
Narrative Evolution: We’re transferring past a easy story of divine intervention. Kaliyuga explores the coexistence of religion and phantasm, the place the narrative tone, artwork, music, and gameplay programs should mirror this duality, shifting to replicate the angle and reality of the character presently being performed.
Shifting Perspective
And, in fact, we have our largest change. Whereas Raji: An Historical Epic was a dynamic isometric action-adventure, Raji: Kaliyuga makes a major leap into the third-person action-adventure style.
A transfer to third-person felt like the subsequent pure step for our group. Though we stay followers of the digicam types utilized in Raji: An Historical Epic, the evolution of the gameplay led us to imagine that third-person motion was the right course for this venture. Regardless of the numerous problem of this transition, the group has tailored nicely and invested appreciable time in mastering it. Our confidence in executing this efficiently is bolstered by the group’s collective expertise as players who’ve loved many third-person motion titles over the previous twenty years. Our group continues to push boundaries every day, elevating our expertise to fulfill the style’s calls for.
We’re matching that ambition elsewhere, too. Raji: An Historical Epic was acclaimed for its handcrafted artwork and painterly visuals, deeply rooted in Indian structure. This distinct inventive soul stays central to Kaliyuga, whilst we advance our instruments and scope. We’re now leveraging fashionable Unreal Engine 5 options, together with a complicated lighting system and modular world-building, whereas meticulously preserving the essence of conventional artwork. Our murals are now not static; they breathe and inform a residing story.
A Recreation for New and Outdated
Whereas Raji: Kaliyuga grows in scope, tone and perspective, it should nonetheless really feel like a homecoming for gamers who cherished Raji: An Historical Epic. At its coronary heart, Raji was by no means a battle in opposition to asuras – it was a testomony of religion, resilience and divine grace by hardship. That essence carries by.
The brand new recreation is designed to attraction to each veterans of the primary recreation and newcomers. Kaliyuga contains a utterly self-contained narrative. New gamers will grasp the core premise immediately, and all important backstory components might be revealed naturally by reminiscence murals, dialogue, and environmental storytelling.
However whereas enjoying the unique title isn’t a prerequisite, returning gamers will discover a deeper, extra emotional connection to the occasions. And, in fact, Raji stays one of many central figures, not changed however developed. Gamers will acknowledge her stances, fight grace and quiet braveness.
Keep Tuned for Extra
Prior to now 12 months, Raji: An Historical Epic has reached an unimaginable 2.5 million gamers globally. Whereas the discharge of Raji: Kaliyuga continues to be a little methods off, we’re excited to share what we’ve been engaged on, as we now really feel prepared as a studio to take action. Reaching this level has taken intensive effort and time, and we’re dedicated to persevering with our relationship with our neighborhood for a few years to return.
Whereas a launch date announcement continues to be far off, gamers can keep knowledgeable by following us on social media and becoming a member of our Discord server, the place we are going to present common updates.
