Russian game studio Cyberia Nova has detailed the plot and plot ideas of the action-adventure game Zemsky Sobor, which will be released on November 4.
The studio's creative director Sergei Russkikh spoke in the developer's diary about creating the plot, character images and unique storytelling approach.
“We sought to balance historical accuracy and an engaging game plot. To do this, we used the “unreliable narrator” technique to show the events of the Time of Troubles through the eyes of Cossack Kirsha. This approach makes the story vivid, unpredictable and deeply atmospheric,” said Sergei Russkikh, creative director of the Cyberia Nova studio.
Atmosphere and plot
The domestic studio said the story is built through the memories of Kirsha, who tells her teammates about her adventures by the fire. The events of the game take place in the winter of 1613 – after the expulsion of the Poles from Moscow, when the country was at a crossroads. The Zemsky Sobor will have to choose a ruler capable of leading Rus' out of chaos. Boyars, princes, foreign princes and Cossacks participate in the struggle for power, and the plots, according to the authors, are comparable to Game of Thrones.
The main character is Cossack Kirsha, familiar to players in Troubles. In the new game, he has a unique storyline: he uncovers conspiracies, fights spies and faces opponents who seek to change the course of history.
The heart of the game is the confrontation between various factions: Seven Boyars, Cossacks, Nobles and other hidden forces. Therefore, the player's actions, as planned by the project creator, will directly affect the balance of power, opening up new directions for the plot to develop.
Detective element
The plot of “Zemsky Sobor”, according to the scriptwriters, combines historical drama and detective motifs: puzzles, investigations, urban superstitions. At the same time, it is emphasized that, like in many classical works, behind any mysterious event there is simple human interest.
Kirsha's method is called observation, attention to detail and the ability to put evidence together into a single picture, which, according to the authors' idea, will make the detective element an organic part of the story in “Zemsky Sobor”.
Reporting team
Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that a new team of writers is working on the project. When creating the story, the team is said to have sought a balance between the historical setting and the game's motivations, which led to lively discussions and new creative solutions. The game is designed to be played actively for 6-7 hours.
New missions, ambushes and characters
The creators also talked in detail about the side quests. According to them, additional missions are designed in the form of “detective letters”, which players receive from a new character – Zemsky Yaryzhka. Ambushes and random events add a sense of unpredictability: oncoming passersby can be both allies and enemies.
Among the new heroes, the appearance of False Dmitry III is expected, and Buffoon Nightingale, Kirsha's companion, will also appear, bringing humor to the story.
Audiences are also promised unique bosses: a powerful mute slave, a mysterious foreign mercenary and several characters who side with the enemy.
