Fear Effect Sedna, the first entry in the Fear Effect franchise in almost two decades, launches March 6 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Developer Sushee and publisher Square Enix Collective announced the imminent release date in a press release.
“Fear Effect Sedna generated an amazing response from fans of the series when we ran our Kickstarter, and with the support of Square Enix Collective and co-producer Forever Entertainment, we’re excited to see just what they make of it come release,” Sushee founder Benjamin Anseaume said.
Sushee launched the Kickstarter in 2016 to bring the original PlayStation series back from the grave in a new light. The KickStarter raised more than $130,000 from over 2,500 fans.
Pitched as a sequel to the first game, Sedna brings back the original trio of lead protagonists — Hana, Deke, and Glas. Rain, who served as Hana’s partner in various missions, will also reprise her role. A new character named Axel will also join the fray. Axel and Hana have met before, and it seems like his relationship with the team will be tenuous at first.
While the faces will be familiar, Sedna’s gameplay is a deep departure from the action-adventure series. Similar to XCOM, Sedna will have an isometric perspective. The game combines real-time action and tactical combat, along with some stealth and puzzle mechanics, which hark back to the series’ roots.
Those who played Fear Effect and Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix will be happy to learn that the elaborate death cutscenes will be back in Sedna. Animated cutscenes will recall the cel-shaded look of the PlayStation classics. And, of course, the “fear effect,” adrenaline meter will affect both your attack and defense.
As far as the story, Sedna takes place six years after the original and will wade into Inuit mythology. Beyond that, it seems as if we’ll have to wait for Sedna to launch to see what the gang is up to these days.
Fear Effect Sedna launches March 6 on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. Fear Effect Reinvented, a remake of the original game developed by Sushee, is also expected to launch in 2018 for the same platforms.
