Prepare for a taste of strategic warfare as Hidden Pass Skirmishes, a free standalone tactical prologue from independent developer GG Studio, arrives on Steam on September 25th, 2024. Serving as a precursor to the highly anticipated Hidden Pass, set to launch in Early Access in February 2025, this prologue will allow players to immerse themselves in the science-fantasy universe with a series of challenging skirmishes.
In Hidden Pass Skirmishes, players can customize their battles by choosing their enemies and the battlefield. A selection of three distinct battle-groups, each with their own combat style, provides players with options to engage in turn-based combat. Set in a floating archipelago of mystical sky islands, this prologue introduces a key feature of the full game—multi-level battlefields with complex verticality. High plateaus and floating platforms offer the chance to claim the high ground, providing tactical advantages but also risking the sanity of your heroes, as magic’s influence stretches the limits of both body and mind.
Key Gameplay Mechanics
Combat in Hidden Pass Skirmishes is designed to challenge players with attrition-based tactics. While a frontline of four fighters is essential, waves of reinforcements can be deployed from your airship to turn the tide of battle when necessary. Success hinges not only on tactical precision but on long-term strategic planning.
For players eager to master the combat systems of Hidden Pass, this prologue is just the beginning. By overcoming the trio of challenges presented in Skirmishes, players will be better prepared for the full, dynamic campaign awaiting them in Hidden Pass. The game, successfully funded on Kickstarter earlier this year, promises an epic journey across a deadly archipelago in search of the mystical Elyrium crystals that power magic and technology alike.
Wishlist Hidden Pass Skirmishes Now!
The prologue also introduces some of the key features players can expect in the main game:
- Verticality and Tactical Depth: Combat takes place on multiple levels, with flying soldiers and floating monsters adding complexity to every fight.
- Magic and Madness: Magic is a double-edged sword. The potent energy of Elyrium crystals enhances your units’ power, but comes with a risk—the more they tap into its power, the more they risk losing control.
- Reinforcements and Attrition: The flow of battle is never final—deploying reinforcements from your airship means a loss isn’t guaranteed until all your units are out of commission.
- Might and Machinery: Beyond soldiers, players can research and build Elyrium-powered automatons to augment their forces, bringing both strength and unique abilities to the battlefield.
- Fortress Upgrades: The strategic layer of Hidden Pass will revolve around upgrading your flying fortress, allowing for more powerful units, resource collection, and control over contested territories.
The Road Ahead
GG Studio is offering Hidden Pass Skirmishes as a gateway into the complex, lore-rich world of Hidden Pass. The full game promises an ambitious blend of turn-based tactical combat with a strategic campaign, including base-building, resource management, and an evolving narrative shaped by player choices. With Early Access set for February 2025, players will be able to fully explore the deadly floating islands, harness the power of Elyrium, and build their ultimate fortress.
Be sure to wishlist both Hidden Pass Skirmishes and Hidden Pass on Steam to stay updated on all future developments. Prepare for battle as the skies above become the new frontlines of war.
About GG Studio
GG Studio is an indie game developer based in Germany, composed of passionate gamers and LARPers. With a mission to combine unique storytelling and immersive gameplay, they aim to push the boundaries of the tactical RPG genre.
About This Game
Multi-layered Combat: Combat in Hidden Pass Skirmishes takes place across three map layers, each presenting their own tactical challenges, although flying units are free to move between them and outflank more limited fighters.
Elyrium Madness: Magic is your most powerful weapon, and potentially your undoing. Every ability used brings you closer to the brink, the power of Elyrium slowly driving your units mad. There’s a potential method to this madness, though – the further you push to the edge, the more powerful your abilities become.
Passing the Baton: Field your four best and brightest units in each battle, but plan for attrition. Casualties can be swiftly replaced mid-battle with reserve units from your Tower – don’t accept defeat!
Automatons: Not all of your units are flesh and blood. Your home base’s Factory can manufacture powerful Elyrium-fueled automatons with unique abilities and strengths.
Expertise System: Keep your troops alive and they’ll reward you in kind. Each class has unique abilities, giving the opportunity to play differently.
