Massively's interview with Mythos: gearing up for launch
Today marks another milestone for the almost-forgotten Mythos MMO. As we mentioned a few months ago, the Diablo-esque game has been resurrected and we can now report that it has been picked up by Redbana US. New closed beta registration was started in August and we're well on our way to actually getting this game launched. With this new information, we assembled some questions (thanks to former Managing Editor, Michael Zenke for most of these questions) for the Mythos team on this special occasion.
So the milestone at this stage of the game's life is a newly-revamped website, just released and announced today. Check it out for a teaser video, lore entries, their brand new forums and much more!
Massively: What differentiates Mythos from any of the other multiplayer hack-and-slash titles that have come out in the past few years?
Redbana: Mythos has a very unique art style and polish that we think sets it apart from a lot of the titles out there. Mythos will also feature enhanced gameplay mechanics - we have a deep and satisfying skill system with unique classes that have never been explored before, swarms of enemies on screen, etc. Plus, the game will be free-to-play with consistent and free updates.
Has the art style stayed true to how it was first developed by Flagship Studios, considering the fact that Runic Games' Torchlight will be using that original Mythos style and design?
Overall, we've decided to stay true to the original Mythos style that fans are familiar with. There will be minor changes in texture and lighting for certain areas and we are adding new content that will have its own unique style. Overall, though, the game will be substantially similar.
As popular as RPGs are to this day, the last five+ years have seen some incredibly strong offerings from Western RPGs. With the return of the Diablo franchise, BioWare's Dragon Age, and (indeed) Mythos, there are plenty of additional strong contenders in the genre coming out in the future as well. Why do you think the Western-style RPG is such a popular, growing segment of gaming?
Western-style RPGs are traditionally more open-ended than their Asian counterparts, sort of like those choose-your-own-adventure books. Many games make you feel like no matter what you do, you are just following a dotted line to the end of the story. But with many Western RPGs, the player's decisions will affect how the plot unfolds (or at least you feel like you've had an impact in the overall grand scheme of things). This level of interactivity really draws players in and gives them a level of ownership over the game's storyline.
Looking ahead to the MMO version of the game, what do you anticipate offering players online that's substantially different from the single-player experience?
Mythos was built as a multiplayer online game from the very beginning. We will have the all the features you would expect from an MMO: gamers can meet and interact with hundreds if not thousands of users at once and build relationships, show off their items, trade/sell their wares, adventure together in parties, duel or group match PvP with each other, and much, much more.
In your plans for your MMO, do you intend to differ very heavily from the tried and true MMO tropes? If so, how so?
All we can say right now is that Mythos will be following a path similar to other successful MMOs, but we also will be adding our own features in that will make it unique. Stay tuned!
With the rebirth of Mythos, we can't help but wonder about a future for Hellgate: London as well, since it came from a similar position. Is there a chance at a deal with Namco-Bandai to eventually republish HG:L for western audiences?
HanbitSoft owns the intellectual property for Hellgate: London and is currently providing service in South Korea. However, Namco-Bandai currently has publishing rights to Hellgate in the US and Europe, so stay tuned to them for any updates on that front.
In the meantime, fans can get the inside scoop on the latest Mythos development news on our website http://www.mythos.com!
