Partial Recall: The Technomancer Gamescom trailer paints a desolate picture of Mars

By Gabe Gurwin August 6, 2015

THE TECHNOMANCER: GAMESCOM 2015 TRAILER

Post-apocalypse: so hot right now. With Gamescom in full swing, developer Spiders Studio has released a new trailer for The Technomancer a sci-fi RPG set on Mars and the follow-up to 2013’s Mars: War Logs. While its predecessor was not especially well-received, The Technomancer‘s world-building looks to be top-notch, with elements reminiscent of both Mad Max and Total Recall.

As our hero (presumably you) fails to connect to Earth on his tablet, a group of militants swarm him and fire a tranquilizer dart with the accuracy of a Stormtrooper. They’re quickly taken out by a few swings of his staff and a jolt of electricity from his hand.

“Remember, Mars wasn’t colonized yesterday,” says Spiders Studio’s Sébastien Di Ruzzi. The Technomancer begins several centuries after Mars has been colonized, and “as all know too well from our own planet, the longer we’re around the more complicated things get!”

But humans aren’t alone on Mars. The trailer also offers a brief glimpse of some local wildlife, including flying, dragon-life creatures and an ostrich with a worm for a head … I’m sure that its official name.

While Mars: War Logs offered customizable skills and different combat styles, by Spiders Studio’s own admission, the game was a “short story” designed to be released as a digital title. As a current-gen and PC exclusive, The Technomancer has the chance to take these ideas a step further, and will include four separate skill trees and three fighting styles, as well “dynamic conversation dialogue” that sounds reminiscent of BioWare’s role-playing projects. Also like BioWare’s games, you won’t be on your own; as you can see at the end of the trailer, a group of citizens stand ready to assist the eponymous Technomancer. You will be able to fight alongside them and “nurture relationships.” Sexy relationships, perhaps? Time will tell.

The Technomancer launches next year, but if you want to get your hands on another Spiders Studio game while you wait, you might want to check out the action-RPG Bound By Flame.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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