NetEase Games has announced Destiny: Rising, a free-to-play mobile game based on Bugnei's sci-fi shooter franchise. Developed and published by NetEase Games, the game will feature "a variety of playable hero characters, a shared world, and an abundance of game modes, all set within the rich tapestry of the Destiny Universe"
Development feels pretty far along already as the announcement was accompanied by a first-look gameplay trailer along with information about an upcoming closed Alpha test scheduled for next month.
Destiny: Rising is set in an alternate Destiny timeline and explores a narrative in the post-Dark Age era. It's rooted in the aftermath of a fateful alien invasion where humanity struggles to rise in the ashes of destruction. This is an unexplored era of Destiny, before the Tower and the emergence of Guardians.
"We want to capture and depict a specific time, where the reins are in the hands of the players to experience, to explore, to define. This is where the stage is set," explains Stone Shi, Senior Narrative Designer in a developer preview. "
"In terms of time and age, what we want you to picture when you think of this post Dark-age era is: Epic legends in the making, a fantastical world to explore, and tons of mysteries and opportunities," adds Robin Janowsky, Senior Level Designer. "And of course, Ghosts, Lightbearers, Iron Lords, Warlords, all the narrative elements you'd expect form an age before the last City. It's an age that's never been explored and it's super exciting."
As a genesis of new possibilities in the Destiny Universe, Destiny: Rising delves into an unseen era where burgeoning hope blooms once again after a terrifying collapse of civilization and the dangers of the resulting Dark Age. With the help of legendary Iron Lords, humanity has broken free the shackles of tyranny and began to rally together against the alien forces intent on its extinction. Amidst the chaos of this early age for The City, a new generation of Lightbearers, resurrected by mysterious entities known as Ghosts, set out to restore humanity’s prominence and secure its future.
It sounds like the focus of Destiny: Rising is on storytelling, with a focus on characters, people, heroes, and legends.
"Every playable character is a fleshed-out person with a depth of personality," says Caroline Wan, Senior Narrative Designer. "We want to tell more than just epic adventures, but also these side stories. Things that as an adventurer you'd pick up on the streets, in the allies, or in the taverns. Things like myths an legends that you'd hear when you just arrive in a new town. We want players to piece together the big picture of this era from each of these tales."
Set in a time before the established classes of hunter, titan, and warlock, Destiny: Rising introduces a new diverse roster of characters, each with unique abilities and stories. Each Lightbearer has their own unique and independent combat style to master. Of course, some familiar faces will pop up as well.
Naturally, Destiny: Rising will emphasize online multiplayer action. Clans will be supported, as well as fun casual party game modes, customized shared spaces, and more. Powerful exotic weapons are also a core focus with the ability to customize them according to your combat style.
Journey through a world fighting back against the darkness: From the sanctuary of Haven, a refuge for the Lightbearers and survivors, to the icy, ancient metro of Jiangshi, and the arid expanse of the Red Sea Rift. Traverse diverse Sci-fi biomes and uncover hidden stories and adventures in a distant future Earth. Search for the seeds of hope that will shape the future of human civilization in an entirely new Destiny narrative.
There's no release date for Destiny: Rising yet; however, the first closed alpha test is scheduled to start in November. You can pre-register for Android and iOS here.