Roguelikes make us traverse coldly random worlds only to cut us down in a moment of overconfidence, but we put up with them because they give us such damn good stories. Games like FTL and The Binding of Isaac keep us talking about our untimely demises long after pre-written narratives are forgotten. Roxlou Games wants to elevate those procedurally generated narratives into the ultimate objective of Unwritten: That Which Happened.
Unwritten is the story of The People, who are guided by a single leader across a tundra through a multi-generational campaign of Civilization-esque strategery. Their destination is God Mountain, where they believe their creator will judge them by the stories they have come to tell. Those stories are woven as The People exploit resources and fight foes, all of which are generated individually for each playthrough.
Unwritten's narratives are shaped by distinct choices, when the Leader might have to choose between taking in weary travelers or hoarding resources to assure survival. These "story fragments" will figure into "story bouts" with potential rivals, and inform The People's final judgment on God Mountain.
Roxlou, which is led by Dishonored veteran Joe Houston, is asking for $75,000 by February 13 to complete the PC game, with a $15 pledge required for a digital copy.
