Vindictus Interview: Amazing Artwork and Brutal Elegance

Vindictus Interview: Amazing Artwork and Brutal Elegance
Questions by Jonathan (Ardua) Doyle OnRPG Victim of Brutal Elegance
Answered by Chris Gyselinck, Assistant Producer for Vindictus

OnRPG: Hi there. Thank you for taking the time to talk to OnRPG! Could you introduce yourself to our battle hungry readers and tell us what you do for Nexon/Vindictus?

This is Chris Gyselinck, Assistant Producer for Vindictus and it's a pleasure to be talking about the game today for you and your readers.

OnRPG: Vindictus it has to be said is not a happy world. But who needs happy when you have monsters to slay? That said, what can you tell us about the world we will play our skills in?

Vindictus takes place in a world loosely based on Celtic mythology. Groups of monsters known as the Fomors once had an uneasy peace with the humans, but have recently become blood-thirsty and attacking humans and human settlements with no readily apparent motivation to do so. The goddess Morrighan has promised the humans that if they defeat the Fomors, they will be given access to a paradise known as Erinn. This is the world our players will step into as they play Vindictus.

OnRPG: What sort of classes for players can we expect in our massive monster slayage?

During our Closed Beta phase, players will either be able to play as the Dual-Sword-wielding speedy character Lann or the Sword-and-Shield-bearing Fiona. Both characters have very unique styles of combat which will evolve even more as players learn which skills, combos and weapons fit best to their preferred way of playing. Soon, we'll be introducing a mage character who has some truly awesome spells and we have even more characters to announce further down the road.

OnRPG: If anyone has heard anything about Vindictus it is the words "Brutal Elegance." Care to tell us more about it and what it means for the player?

Players can expect to have an entirely new gaming experience with Vindictus. "Brutal Elegance" refers to physics-based action in the game, combined with stunning visuals. Vindictus uses a modified Source Engine^TM to enable interaction with the environment like shattering objects, hurling debris, binding enemies with chains, and piercing defenses with spears. This, combined with the amazing artwork is why Vindictus is introducing Brutal Elegance to the PC gaming space.

OnRPG: I do love game lore. Recently you've released another Lore trailer for Vindictus. How big a part will the lore play in the game or is it window dressing?

The lore in Vindictus is far from window dressing. In fact, players are immediately immersed in the story before even beginning the process of customizing their character. Beyond that, all of our missions help move the story forward. We don't have any of the "kill 100 rats" type of missions that are relatively common in MMOs and instead focus on missions which help tell the intricacies of our legend in a very organic way.

OnRPG: The emphasis on playing with people pleases me personally, but could you tell us a little more about how grouping will benefit players to entice the solo-ers in the readers?

Because of the fast-paced nature of the action in our game, grouping up with others becomes an extremely rewarding experience. Although a player could theoretically attempt many of our dungeons solo, some of the enemies, particularly our bosses, can be absolutely brutal to fight against. Strategy becomes essential. Getting together with your friends and planning the best method to take out a 12 foot tall gnoll not only makes it easier to accomplish your goals, it's also a hell of a lot of fun! We even have some secondary weapons designed for strategy in group play. For example, a player can use a chain to hold down an enemy while his or her teammates go in for the full-on attack. All of our combat happens in real-time, so every battle can play out differently, and when you add other players into the mix, that variety increases exponentially.

OnRPG: Solo or in a team, people still have to figure out how to play when entering a new world. What is the learning curve like for Vindictus at this stage in beta?

One of the beautiful things about the game is that it is very easy to pick it up, play it and have a blast the first time you launch it, but it takes some time to master. Anyone who has played an action game in the last generation or two will immediately feel comfortable with the basic controls and combos, but to become an expert at the intricacies of the various combos and skills definitely takes some commitment. Overall, I think Vindictus offers a rewarding experience to both the new players and to those who have put a lot of time into the game.

OnRPG: Vindictus is now in Closed Beta for North America. Can we European players expect to pitch in and help out soon?

Nexon Europe recently announced at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany that Vindictus is coming to the European market in the near future.

OnRPG: Source! An engine that has brought us so many quality games. Do its FPS roots help in creating the fast paced combat in Vindictus?

Absolutely. The Source engine has so many great features which help make Vindictus the most action-packed online game ever. Because of the engine's incredible physics, players will enter a world with completely destructible environments. Just about anything you see on the ground, from boulders to produce, can be used as a weapon; armour can be destroyed and will be seen tearing and cracking and falling from a character's body. On top of that, the Source engine allowed our development team to develop truly stunning visuals without making the game into a "system hog."

OnRPG: My computer is probably about four years old at the moment but had no real trouble with the likes of Portal and Left 4 Dead (Other Source games). How do you think I will fare in Vindictus or should our readers be eying upgrades to their machines?

Like I said, and like you have mentioned, the Source engine is really great for creating beautiful games which can run on relatively low specs. I think anybody who can run games like Portal and L4D will be able to enjoy Vindictus. Of course, people with high-end PCs will also still be able to place the visuals of Vindictus alongside some of the more taxing games which they probably bought those PCs for in the first place.

OnRPG: While thinking about the technology behind the game, I had a minor moment of terror. If there's one thing the engine is good at it is throwing curveballs our way. How is the AI shaping up for Vindictus and should I be ready to wade through waves of horrible critters?

I don't want to spoil any of the surprises but, yeah, you can expect to come face-to-face with some of your childhood nightmares.

OnRPG: I'm overcome by a sudden urge to beat monsters into a stone pillar with my friends and watch the pieces rain down. When can we hope to get our hands on a launched Vindictus Online?

The launch date hasn't been announced, but we're looking to go live later this year. In the meantime, players can visit the official website and check to see if they've been chosen for our closed beta, which starts Aug. 10.

OnRPG: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us!

Thank you! See you in the game!