Ark of Charon: Everything We Know

Are you a fan of building and managing your own community, or maybe you love defending your territory against challenges? What if there was a game that let you do both at the same time? That's exactly what Ark of Charon is about. It combines the fun of building your own place with the excitement of protecting it.

But what's the story behind this game, and what makes it special? How will it change the way we think about playing strategy games? These are the questions we’re all asking as we wait to see more about what the developers have in store for us. The game is already getting a lot of buzz for its unique approach. Here's a sneak peek at everything we know so far about Ark of Charon.

What is Ark of Charon?

Ark of Charon has been described by its developers as “a new type of game that combines colony simulation and tower defense, where players will embark on a journey to guide a giant, beast-like sapling of a World Tree to its nursery.” With this innovative approach, the game aims to fuse the strategic planning and community management found in colony simulations with the dynamic challenge and defense strategies characteristic of tower defense games. Set against the backdrop of a world struggling to recover from ecological devastation, the game will introduce a fresh and engaging challenge.

The game's core premise revolves around the players' mission to protect and nurture a nascent World Tree sapling, representing the last beacon of hope for a world teetering on the edge of oblivion. This mission transcends a mere storyline to become the central element of gameplay. It will challenge players to harness their strategic and managerial skills to ensure the sapling's survival against constant threats. And as the game is currently under development, anticipation continues to build for what could be a groundbreaking addition to the strategy and simulation genres.

Story

The world of Ark of Charon draws players into a story marked by loss but shimmering with hope. The sacred World Tree, once a source of life and growth, has succumbed to decay, leaving the lands it once nourished barren and lifeless. From this despair, a beacon of hope emerges: a fragile sapling with the potential to rejuvenate the world. Players will be entrusted as guardians of this new life, tasked with guiding it through dangers and against monsters that lurk in the shadows, hungering for the last vestiges of life.

Gameplay

While we're still waiting to see Ark of Charon in action, the developers have shared some exciting hints about what players can look forward to. Here's a simpler breakdown of the gameplay elements based on what we know so far.

In the beginning, players will start by gathering resources from their surroundings. This includes not just materials to build with but also food to feed your helpers, known as familiars, and even pieces of lost technology from a world long gone. Finding and collecting these resources will be a key part of getting ready for the journey ahead.

Once you've got your resources, it's time to start building on the back of a giant sapling – your mobile base. The game will let players decide what kind of structures to build. You might focus on defenses like walls to protect the core of the sapling, arm it with weapons to fight off monsters, or create rooms for your familiars to work and help out.

However, building isn't just about choosing what to construct; it also involves managing your resources wisely. Players will need to keep an eye on their familiars' health, the weight and stability of their buildings, and how much material they have left. If you don't balance these factors well, your journey to the nursery will become much more difficult.

Lastly, as the sapling starts moving, monsters will come after you, attracted by its life force. This is when the game really tests your preparations. You'll need to use your familiars and the defenses you've built to fend off these attacks and protect the sapling's core. This part of the gameplay blends the planning and building with action as players defend their mobile base from continuous threats.

Development

Ark of Charon is a game being developed by Sunsoft and Angoo. These companies decided to work together because the people in charge, Yuichi Ochi from Sunsoft and Hiroshi Nakagawa from Angoo, used to work together in the past and did really well. They both like making games and wanted to make something new and exciting together.

As shared by the devs, working on Ark of Charon hasn't been easy for them, but Yuichi Ochi and his team are trying hard to make a game that is fun and different. They want to mix two types of games together: one where you build and manage a colony and another where you defend your base from attacks. It's taken a lot of experimenting to get things right, and they're still working on it. But they're excited about what they're making and think players will enjoy it once it's finished. Right now, we only know that the game is under development.

Trailer

As of now, the developers have not released a trailer for Ark of Charon. However, we can expect one to debut in the near future, offering us a closer look at this exciting world.

Release Date, Platforms, and Editions

Ark of Charon is set to launch in 2024 on PC via Steam. While details on the exact release date remain under wraps, the gaming community is buzzing with anticipation. As for editions, there has been no official announcement regarding different versions or special editions. In the meantime, you can follow the official social media account of Sunsoft games here for the latest updates and announcements.

So, what's your take? And which feature of the game are you most excited to explore? Let us know on our socials here.