I am pleased to announce Thylacine Studios’ next game: The Negative!

A mockup image containing a few objects and NPCs you might find during your travels.

The Negative is an evocative RPG with a dark, gritty, and gothic undertone. Players take the role of a nameless plague doctor as they wander across an infinite, procedurally generated open world in an attempt to conquer an evil force known as The Negative. Along the way, players must capture and employ the skills of enemy monsters to fight for them.

Battles are turn-based. You can take up to 4 monsters with you to fight your enemies.

Thematically, The Negative is all about conveying emotion; not only through its storytelling methods, but also in the environments and enemies themselves. I’ve broken down the concept of negativity into 7 main categories: depression, rage, jealousy, pessimism, guilt, anxiety, and grief. Almost every aspect of the game relates to one of these emotions in some way – there are 7 different environments to explore (and re-explore), each of which is modeled after one of these seven emotions. This means that, with a few exceptions, we won’t be using any generic environment types you might find in other games, such as a “fire world” or “forest area”.

You can move your monsters around the battlefield to gain various advantages and exploit your enemies’ weaknesses.

The Negative definitely isn’t a happy game, and it’s unapologetic in the way it casts players into a lonely, desolate world where all hope feels lost. In most cases, players will often find their efforts feeling like they’re taking an allegorical “one step forward, two steps back”. In that way, it feels a lot like real life. Happiness is cyclical, and The Negative honors that fact in every way it can.

This is the inventory screen. You can heal your monsters, resurrect them, and much more here.

I have plenty more information to share with you, but it’ll have to wait. Check back next week to learn more about The Negative! I’ll leave you with a small FAQ.

Q. When will The Negative be released?

A. It’s too soon to tell. I have probably 70% of the game coded already, but there’s a lot more work to be done, especially in the art/music department. My best guess is an early 2018 beta release on Steam Early Access. While we’re waiting, I’ll possibly release at least one smaller game to sate your appetite.

Q. What platforms will The Negative be released on?

A. Definitely Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Playstation 4. I’d also like to release this game on Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, but it’s too soon to tell if we can make this happen. If any other major platforms enter the market between now and the end of The Negative’s development cycle, I’ll gladly consider those as well.

Q. What about Playstation Vita?

A. I’m developing The Negative using GameMaker Studio 2, which no longer supports Playstation Vita, so there’s no way this is going to happen. Sorry!

Q. How much will it cost?

A. Right now, I’m thinking $19.99 USD is a fair price, but that’s not final. The mobile (Android/iOS) version will likely use a different payment model.

Q. What are the controls like?

A. The game supports keyboards, gamepads, and mice. You can play the entire game with just your mouse, which actually works really well!

Q. Will there be any post-release content? Expansions? Sequels?

A. Yes, probably. If it happens, this content will be delivered and priced in a way that no other game has done so before. I’m excited to experiment with my own payment model, but it’s too soon to announce any specifics on that!

Q. Does The Negative have multiplayer?

A. No, there are no plans to add multiplayer content for now. There might be some online-only events, but nothing like trading or PvP battling.

Q. How does The Negative compare to Siralim?

A. It’s completely different in almost every way. You still capture monsters and fight with them, but everything else is completely different.