Supergiant Games revealed a head-to-head versus mode for Pyre, its April-announced party-based RPG, at PlayStation Experience 2016.
The multiplayer mode allows players to challenge their friends in one of the game’s fast-paced ritual battles.
Here’s a FAQ about it:
Multiplayer FAQ
Q: Wait, you’re making a multiplayer game?!
A: Pyre is a party-based RPG that will have a two-player head-to-head Versus Mode in it, in addition to the single-player campaign. Think of the multiplayer as a bonus on top of the single-player.
Our focus during development has first and foremost been the single-player campaign experience, and creating the interesting and memorable cast of characters you’ll get to know during your journey.
Multiplayer was something we also thought had a lot of potential, but was something we were only going to pursue if we felt we could pull it off without compromising on our ambitions for the single-player. We had to get to this point in development to make sure of that.
Q: What is the object of the game in Versus Mode?
A: The ritual competitions in Pyre play out like a one-on-one competitive action game. The object is to extinguish your opponent’s ceremonial flame, by grasping an object called the Celestial Orb then diving into the flames with it, or simply throwing it in.
You have at your disposal three different exiles, though just one is permitted to move at any given time (you can switch control between them instantly). You can slip past your opponents by sprinting or leaping over them. You also have a defensive aura that banishes your foes on contact, or can be cast like a projectile attack. Each of the different characters has his or her own unique attributes and special abilities. Which characters you bring into the field, along with the variety of unique environments, make it so no two Rites play out the same way.
Q: Can you play online or is it only local multiplayer?
A: Our Versus Mode pits you and your opponent against each other on the same PS4 in local head-to-head competition. This arcade-style experience is well suited to Pyre’s gameplay, and ever since Bastion we’ve wanted to make a game you could play with a friend in the same space.
As for online play, we haven’t made a decision yet on whether online play makes sense given everything else we’re doing on Pyre with our small team. We think bad online multiplayer is worse for a game than no online multiplayer, and we promise to do what’s best for the game as a whole.
Q: Will I be able to play Versus Mode single-player against the computer?
A: Yes! We plan to support that.
Q: I have more questions!
A: Great! Send them along with any impressions to @SupergiantGames or visit our web site for more details. We’d love to hear from you.
Pyre is due out for PlayStation 4 and PC in 2017.
Watch a trailer introducing the multiplayer mode below. View a single new screenshot at the gallery.
