The Iron Oath Live in Early Access

Curious Panda’s crowdfunded turn-based mercenary RPG The Iron Oath is now live in early access on Steam and GOG, priced at $19.99 or your regional equivalent. The game itself invites us to take control of a mercenary company in a harsh fantasy land, participate in plenty of turn-based battles, explore an ever-evolving overworld, and more.

At the same time, its early access version currently offers roughly 15 hours of gameplay, 4 traversable regions, 7 combat environments, 6 playable classes, 36 unique abilities, 50 enemies and 80 items.

Check out the official early access release trailer:

You may also be interested in the game’s EA patch notes, roadmap, and official description:

Command, endure, and prosper in The Iron Oath, a turn-based tactical RPG where the fate of your mercenary company rests on your decisions. As the leader of a band of soldiers-for-hire in the harsh realm of Caelum, you’ll need to hire recruits, manage your operations wisely, and embark on perilous missions in order to survive, thrive, and build your company’s renown.

As the years progress, the world of Caelum evolves dynamically, opening up new storylines for you to discover and making each new playthrough unpredictable and unique. What fortunes await your company?

Features

• High-stakes tactical combat
  Proper planning and execution is vital to your success. Deadly foes, traps, and destructible objects mean one misstep could be your party’s undoing.
• The cold march of time
  Years pass as you navigate the world. Your mercs will age, retire, and die over the decades, and your company—and strategy—will need to adapt to the shifting tides.
• An ever-evolving overworld
  Caelum is a sprawling, always changing realm. Cities fall and rise again as the Noble Houses vie for power, leading to new opportunities and unexpected perils.
• Control your company’s destiny
  Manage your guild’s roster, finances, and political relationships. Earn wealth and renown by completing contracts for Caelum’s vying factions, and invest in upgrading your organization.
• Forge your team
  An iron chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Assemble a well-rounded crew of warriors, rogues, and spellcasters. Build up their power, customize and complement their abilities, and become a force to be reckoned with.
• Lead wisely, die foolishly
  You’ll face difficult decisions, and the path you follow won’t always be popular. Your choices bear consequences that will alter the fates of your mercs, your company, and all of Caelum.

And here’s its EA FAQ:

Why Early Access?

“Because The Iron Oath is a passion project many years in the making, we want to ensure that it reaches its full potential as a tactical RPG. The game is complex, and with many systems in play, player feedback will play an important role in shaping the game’s future and ultimately achieving that potential. Our community has already proven to be a valuable asset over the course of development, and we look forward to collaborating further – creating the ultimate mercenary experience for everyone to enjoy.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We expect to remain in Early Access for 12 months, though the timetable is subject to change. Ultimately, the game will leave Early Access when we can proudly say that it’s ready and feature-complete.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The full version of the game will expand upon existing features, while introducing others such as the Company Council, Sea Travel, and a new region. The full release will also extend and bring a conclusion to the game’s main campaign.

Throughout Early Access, we will be releasing updates both large and small that will continually bring new content to the game in the form of: quests, events, combat environments, enemy types, playable classes, gear, and more! Changes to balance and bug fixes will also be a regular occurrence as needed.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The Early Access version of The Iron Oath contains approximately 15+ hours of unique gameplay content. Because the majority of quests are generated dynamically based on the state of the game’s world, we expect many players will go beyond that number in a typical playthrough.

The game presently has 4 traversable regions, 7 combat environments, 6 playable classes, 36 unique abilities, 50 enemies and 80 items. There are also over 200 ability upgrades to unlock, and 60+ traits that encourage the creation of unique character builds.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“The price of the game will increase after Early Access ends, though we haven’t yet determined by how much.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“While we do have a clear vision for the game, we will be listening to player feedback and suggestions throughout the development process. We encourage users to share their thoughts on balance, existing features, upcoming features and other things they would like to see added. We have been, and will continue to be active in our Discord server, where we invite everyone to join and share their feedback directly with us. We will of course be keeping a close eye on the Steam discussion boards as well.”