Every Dungeons & Dragons quest seems to start at the local tavern. There you are, minding your own business, having a quick pint or two before heading home, when you get to talking with a friendly orc about a dungeon rumored to be nearby. Soon an elf joins your table, then a couple of dwarf brawlers, and before you know it, your little raiding party is headed for the hills, more than a little drunk and looking for some treasure.
If you’ve ever wanted to run your own bar frequented by characters straight out of a D&D game, then Epic Tavern might be right up your alley, a promising upcoming RPG/management game currently in Early Access on Steam. As the tavern owner (or “Tavernmaster,” as the devs refer to it), it’s your job to attract different wandering adventurers to your watering hole and then send them out on quests for gold and loot … or to their doom.
The first order of business is to build a respectable establishment and attract some adventurous clientele. This means providing the basics any rugged dungeon crawler would need, such as food, drinks, lodging, and the occasional barroom brawl. Eventually, as your relationships with your customers improves, you’ll get the opportunity to recruit them for various quests.
Run a nice medieval dive bar and you’ll attract even hardier adventurers for your expeditions. Your patrons run the gamut, from skillful mages to burly warriors to stealthy assassins. The quests themselves are reminiscent of a D&D-style campaign. Select a party with the skills you think they’ll need, equip them with weapons and armor, and send them off to do your bidding. On their return from a successful quest, they’ll reward you with cash, various items, and occasionally even tavern upgrades.
The game is the very first title from Hyperkinetic Studios, which nevertheless packs some industry veterans behind the bar. The development team features Tomo Moriwaki from Electronic Arts, Dave Padilla of Sony Pictures, and music composer Neal Acree (World of Warcraft, Diablo III, Starcraft II).
“Epic Tavern’s dynamic systems ensure no two players’ stories will be the same,” Rich Bisso, Co-Founder of Hyperkinetic Studios said in a press release. “We’ve built the tools so Tavernmasters can create and run the fantasy inn of their dreams and be at the heart of every adventure.”
The successful Kickstarter campaign for Epic Tavern raised 170% of its goal, and the early reviews on Steam are pretty positive. The game is generating some buzz in the industry and it’s currently available in Early Access on Steam for $25.
