I like to revisit games I’ve covered before on TBL whenever there’s a relevant update, so I can put the spotlight back on a project and maybe reach players who hadn’t heard of it until now.
That’s exactly what I’m doing today with Guild Saga: Vanished World, a fascinating tactical RPG we previously covered with an in-depth preview. It’s developed by the indie studio Ocelot and is currently available in Early Access, with updates rolling out at a steady pace.
Before diving into details on the upcoming Curses & Courtiers update, here’s a quick refresher on what this RPG has to offer.
The game is an open-world RPG that begins with your party, part of the Heroes Guild, shipwrecked by a storm on Respite Island, a region within the Respite Archipelago on the continent of Andra. From there, you explore the island, take on quests, and gradually uncover the conflicts and mysteries of this new land.
It uses grid-based, turn-based tactical combat where positioning, skill choices, and resource management guide your decisions during each encounter. You can create your own character at the start, choosing a race, attributes, and initial skills, and you will gain experience over time to unlock or improve skills across different combat and support disciplines.
During your journey, you will meet companions who can join your party. Each companion can be equipped with different gear and trained in various skills, allowing you to adjust your party setup based on your preferred tactics. Companions also have their own stories, and your choices during dialogue and quests can influence your relationships with them.
There’s a lot to do in Respite Island, which contains hidden areas, enemy camps, and resource points tied to quests or crafting systems. You can gather materials and craft items, such as potions and consumables, which can provide advantages in combat or during exploration. These systems are available for players who enjoy crafting but remain optional for those who prefer to focus on exploration and battles.
Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds offers a mix of main quests that drive the story forward and side quests that expand on the world’s background and characters. NPCs often present choices that can affect how quests play out, and there are opportunities to learn more about the world’s history by exploring and reading found notes or speaking with characters.
The game’s art style uses clean pixel visuals that keep environments clear and readable, with turn-based combat animations providing straightforward feedback during fights. The soundtrack and sound effects support the exploration and combat without being distracting.
Currently, the Early Access version includes part of the game’s first chapter, providing access to locations on Respite Island and letting you try out the combat, quest, and crafting systems. The developers plan to add more areas, quests, and additional mechanics during Early Access as they are almost ready to do with the Curses & Courtiers update.
This update will add a new investigation-focused questline where players visit Usior’s private estate to uncover a betrayal, with outcomes that depend on your deductions and companion choice. The Blood God storyline will continue with a mission into the jungle alongside Marshal Heinrik Peirot to discover what happened to a missing forward camp.
Players will also get a new companion quest for Morey, letting you break his curse and unlock him as a fully playable party member if you succeed. Controller support is being added for a smoother couch or handheld experience, and the Inclination system is being expanded so your character’s background opens new dialogue paths and changes how NPCs respond to you.
The update will include additional bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements, all shaped by feedback from players during Early Access. You can find Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds on PC via Steam, below the Gameplay Trailer.
