Crosswind preview: More like Yarr-heim, get it?

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1) Due to the unpredictable nature of their job, pirates needed to be versatile. This characteristic also applies to game developers who aim to capture the romanticism of pirate fantasies in engaging video games. Rare successfully achieved this with Sea of Thieves, while Ubisoft has shown mixed results, providing us with both the critically acclaimed Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag and the less favorably received Skull and Bones.

The studio behind Crosswind Crew is gearing up for the launch of their new game, Crosswind. This team, brimming with dark-hearted romantics, are eagerly steering towards the horizon. Much like sailors adapting to the wind’s whims, they have had to adjust their course when it comes to their open-world survival-crafting game, a Gamescom 2025 source confided in me.

Initially, Crosswind was conceived as a free-to-play game with live services, but the recent struggles of similar games prompted a change in strategy. Instead, it will debut under a premium model through Early Access. A recent alpha test involving thousands of players has given the team confidence in this new approach.

The Crosswind Crew shared with me that although they were initially quite anxious, it turned out to be quite fascinating. They’re really excited about the direction things are taking now.

Lucky for us at the studio, switching our business approach didn’t tamper with the fundamental gameplay – a staple in this genre. Essentially, we started from scratch, collecting resources, expanding our base, and upgrading our gear, which is quite typical of games within this category.

The Crosswind Crew explains that they’re aiming to adopt top-notch strategies from successful games within the same genre, with an emphasis on enhancing those practices further. However, in a highly competitive market, how do they distinguish themselves? Here are a few possibilities:

1. Innovation: They could be integrating unique and groundbreaking features that set them apart from their competitors.
2. Quality of Gameplay: The game might offer an immersive and engaging experience that outshines other games in the genre.
3. Community Engagement: An emphasis on building a strong and supportive community around the game could help attract and retain players.
4. Marketing Strategy: A well-executed marketing campaign or partnerships with popular influencers could help the game gain visibility and attract more players.
5. Accessibility: The game might cater to a broader audience by offering various difficulty levels, localization in multiple languages, or accessibility features for players with disabilities.
6. Storytelling: A compelling narrative or rich lore could draw players in and encourage them to invest time and effort into the game.

Black Flag. It might well be the best pirate game ever, and it was released quite some time ago.

As the setting changes, so do the adventures: think of it as crafting two distinct yet intertwined experiences. One involves the classic elements of land exploration, resource collection, and construction. The other offers a nautical twist with ship battles and boarding actions. These aspects are designed to transition smoothly, allowing players to summon their ships at any moment. This feature enables them to traverse islands, cross bodies of water, and continue sailing without wasting time on retracing steps.

One key advantage of our game is its ability to create an immersive sense of adventure. The developers emphasize that they place great importance on the experience and mechanics of exploration. During the alpha testing phase, players commented that Crosswind evokes a similar feeling to Indiana Jones, with its jungle setting, discovery of ancient ruins, and uncovering a cursed relic at the end.

Crosswind Crew intends to win over players by presenting a comprehensive offering. The team focuses on delivering top-notch visuals, authentic combat experiences, sophisticated equipment, and immersive progression systems across the board.

As a passionate gamer on our team, I’m confidently asserting that we have what it takes to craft one of the top-tier survival-crafting games out there. Don’t get me wrong; we highly respect and admire the fantastic games already available. However, we firmly believe that we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in terms of quality and innovation.

Achieving that goal might be challenging, but it’s certainly not without merit. The demonstration by Crosswind Crew at the event left me quite impressed, especially with their building tools that adhere to the principle: “A construction system lacks versatility if users can’t construct a Millennium Falcon.

marvel at it, situated behind a massive workstation area with characters, there stands a wooden reproduction of Han Solo’s cherished spaceship – the Millennium Falcon. Despite its similarity to Valheim in terms of physics, Crosswind’s building tools are quite flexible, enabling players to showcase their imagination. For those less enamored by construction, ready-made modules can be easily placed. While sharing blueprints could be an option eventually, the game’s transition to a premium version has moved this feature further down the development roadmap.

In the game, the Non-Player Characters (NPCs) play a crucial role in the environment’s immersion. As the developers put it, “we think that the essence of a pirate fantasy lies in gathering your crew.” During gameplay, you have the opportunity to recruit and manage characters for your base or ships, which helps emphasize the camaraderie often associated with being a pirate.

As a devoted fan, I’d like to share an aspect that sets Crosswind apart from other survival-crafting games: the efficient handling of chores. While chopping down a few trees at the start is engaging, repeating it a hundred times can become monotonous. In Crosswind, however, you’re not left alone with the drudgery. Instead, you can entrust these tasks to your reliable crew members, making the gameplay more dynamic and enjoyable.

In Crosswind’s universe, locations are created randomly, yet there are notable spots carefully designed within it. You have the option to delve into this world solo, or join forces with two companions. The developers aspire to broaden the cooperative aspect, aiming to accommodate groups of up to four players in the future.

During the alpha testing, it was found that many users enjoyed the idea of working together on a single ship, similar to Sea of Thieves. To cater to this preference, Crosswind Crew plans to introduce a feature allowing multiple players to crew a shared ship. However, the developers have mentioned that they will avoid excessive micromanagement and won’t require players to constantly put out fires or perform tedious tasks like running around to extinguish them.

In much the same way as Valheim, this game’s development is centered around uncovering diverse landscapes and defeating their respective bosses to unlock newer territories. The creators of Crosswind Crew aim for the biomes to be unique and distinct, incorporating novel mechanics and expanding exploration opportunities.

The game’s combat is likened to a “simplified version of Souls” system, offering players the ability to link light and heavy attacks, block with parries, and evade with dodges. Varied weapon combinations are available, ranging from two-handed weapons to more versatile styles that employ a cutlass in one hand and a pistol in another. Equipment not only boasts various enhancements and abilities but also distinct visual flair. The developers aim to keep the gear engaging rather than monotonous or frustrating: Items are collected automatically as you approach them.

Venturing through a destroyed volcanic island known as the Ashlands, we stumble upon an ancient diary kickstarting a side mission – a testament to how intricately the game’s history intertwines with its gameplay. The Ashlands offer a distinctive exploration experience, where the ash acts as a cover; players can dig through it, revealing hidden pathways or concealed riches. It feels like being the pioneer unearthing Pompeii all over again.

Upon finishing the treasure hunt, we find ourselves embroiled in a fierce sea battle amidst a tempest, which added an extra layer of difficulty. With crosswind control at your disposal for both ship maneuvering and cannon firing, there’s plenty to keep you busy during combat sequences. The action isn’t lacking in excitement either – the team informs me that cannonballs have a tendency to strike crew members, causing them to be jettisoned overboard. While it’s quite uncommon, witnessing this unexpected event is an entertaining aspect of the gameplay.

Ships may have vulnerable spots for increased damage, but at present, you can’t focus on specific areas such as masts. However, game mechanics include hull breaches and torn sails to make sea battles more strategic. The tactics for maritime skirmishes could potentially be refined further. It’s worth noting that sinking a ship won’t yield much profit since you only obtain half of the loot. The true financial reward comes from boarding, where you get the entire enemy cargo if your crew manages to defeat theirs in the ensuing fight.

The Crosswind Crew eagerly anticipates delivering the game to players, incorporating more of their suggestions to refine the basics, and making improvements throughout the Early Access phase before embarking on larger expansion projects.

“The only thing we want is for players to love our game,” the team concludes.

The crosswind is set to launch in 2026, with the team remarking that following Gamescom, they will return home, retreat into their basement, and exert maximum effort in their work.

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2025-09-09 17:49