Summary

  • Mandragora, led by writer Mitsoda, blends gothic themes, Irish folklore, and brutal combat in a 2.5D Soulslike RPG set for 2024.
  • My.Games' Knights Peak label takes over publishing Mandragora, promising harsh moral choices, advanced skill trees, and a dark, gothic world.
  • Inspired by Irish folklore, Mandragora's Inquisitor faces punishing combat, NPC allies, and a Witch Lantern for greater challenges in Faelduum.

Twenty years after Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines released, the wait for its sequel may finally be coming to an end after a turbulent near-decade in development. But it isn’t the only successor to the original, as its writer Brian Mitsoda is the narrative lead on the upcoming 2.5D side-scrolling Soulslike action RPG, Mandragora.

Mandragora, expected to release later in 2024, pulls together themes from across the gothic gaming space as well as Irish folklore and, as of 2022, the writing of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines writer Mitsoda. The game, originally set to be published by Marvelous Europe, joins the initial slate of titles for a new publishing label - Knights Peak - instead.

Featured - Vampire The Masquerade Books To Read While Waiting For Bloodlines 2
10 Vampire The Masquerade Books To Read While Waiting For Bloodlines 2

These Vampire the Masquerade books are worthwhile reads while waiting for Bloodlines 2.

By 

MY.GAMES, publisher of mobile titles Rush Royale and Warbots, has launched a premium label called Knights Peak. It will handle larger-scale projects, both those it acquires and those shepherded by it through the development process. Part of that included assuming publishing responsibilities for Mandragora from Marvelous Europe. Knights Peak is excited to work with Mitsoda and the rest of the Mandragora team, representatives said at an event.

Inside the Roots of Mandragora

In Mandragora, the player steps into the role of an Inquisitor, wielding both weapons and magic in the realm of Faelduum. The Inquisitor is tasked with traveling by night to bring hope back to an otherwise hopeless world. Mandragora promises harsh moral choices, extensive character customization, and six classes replete with advanced skill trees.

Alex Pearson, community marketing manager for Primal Game Studios, spoke at a press event about the origins of the gothic RPG and its upcoming release. The seed of the Mandragora, as it were, came when the game’s creative leads took a trip to Ireland in 2016.

They were inspired by the country’s folklore and its dark, fantasy, gothic atmosphere to create a game that blends that with all the things we love about our other favorite games, like Dark Souls, The Witcher 3, and the original Castlevania games. We wanted to create something that feels brand new while still incorporating all the things we love.

It wouldn’t be a Soulslike game if it wasn’t punishing, and Knights Peak assured The Best War Games that the game’s skill-based combat will be brutal, dealing punishment and reward in equal measure. Of course, the game will have NPC allies in its world to upgrade or supply items for Inquisitors, allowing them to kill more and die less in the dark, gothic setting. The game will also give players access to a Witch Lantern, which will let them step into the world of Entropy itself to seek greater challenges.

Mitsoda brings the kind of detailed player choice-driven style of his work on Vampire the Masquerade to round out Mandragora’s collection of gothic inspirations. Crafting the game’s narrative, moral choices, and multiple endings, Mitsoda brings some of what made his previous work great to Primal and Knights Peak for Mandragora.