NIGHTMARCHERS, a self-described, “open world” “post-apocalyptic Hawaiian RPG,” kicks off today on the crowdfunding site Fig.

“MOANA meets MAD MAX”

Set on the island of Oahu after a cataclysmic event, NIGHTMARCHERS describes itself as “FAR CRY meets ZELDA.” You play as Kai, a man blessed by the gods to take back the island from a ravenous cult worshipping Kamapua’a.

The player wields both modern weaponry and god-like powers, giving the game a sort of contemporary fantasy vibe. You can transform into an owl to spy on your enemies. You can turn into a shark to find hidden treasure beneath the waves. Kai can even summon a magical bow to slay his enemies.

The game also features a crafting system, allowing you to create and customize dozens of weapons. NIGHTMARCHERS promises hundreds of missions, dozens of outposts to reclaim, and six rival factions to work with.

NIGHTMARCHERS is currently crowdfunding itself through Fig. Fig is an indie game platform that’s helped fund titles like PSYCHONAUTS 2, PILLARS OF ETERNITY II, and WASTELAND 3. The campaign features various stretch-goals and additional features, including new powers and questlines.

“NIGHTMARCHERS has been a passion project of ours for years now,” said Wyrmbyte CEO Scott Brown.

“Hawaii means a lot to all of us at Wyrmbyte, both as a place we love to visit and as a culture. We could not be more thrilled to explore the mythology of Hawaii and reimagining it as part of our world in this sprawling shooter RPG.”

This is Wyrmbyte’s first foray into action-RPGs. A relatively young company, the most well-known game is a MOBA called DRAGONS AND TITANS. I’m curious how they’ll transition into RPGs, and what they have to offer the genre.

NIGHTMARCHERS: Our Take

I gotta say, when I started working for ComicsVerse, I never expected to type the words “Post-Apocalyptic Hawaiian RPG.” The main thing drawing me to this game is its unique premise. It’s rare enough to find a modern fantasy game, but one based in Polynesian folklore is too intriguing for me to ignore.

A lot of the features seem a bit well-worn; the comparisons to FAR CRY are a double-edged sword. There’s nothing wrong with following in another game’s footsteps, but you need your own hook to stand out. We can only hope that Wyrmbyte put the same amount of effort into NIGHTMARCHERS gameplay as it did with its unique world.