We Are the Caretakers, the sci-fi turn-based tactical RPG set in an afrofuturist world from developer Heart Shaped Games, brings an environmental epic mission to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One later in 2021, as revealed at the /twitchgaming Showcase: ID@Xbox.
We Are the Caretakers asks players to protect the Raun, a rhino-like species targeted by poachers, both human and alien alike. Rally units of Caretakers onto real-time strategy maps with RPG turn-based combat in either the story-rich campaign or through the challenging procedurally generated Survival mode. Strategically assemble them into squads based on the 20-plus job classes and more than 70 special abilities.
After defeating foes in battle, the Conductor, leader of the Caretakers and sworn protector of the land of Shadra, must decide the fate of poachers from a myriad of choices. While sending them to Shadran judges may be the easy choice, rehabilitation and recruitment might be the only way to avoid the catastrophic consequences of extinction. These decisions can benefit or wound the Conductor’s fragile reputation among the people and their willingness to help the Caretakers.
Heart Shaped Games pledges 10% of their revenues from every copy of the game will go toward the Wildlife Conservation Network, starting with the Steam Early Access release on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22. The organization protects wildlife all around the world, with Heart Shaped Games’ contribution going toward the Rhino Recovery Fund, which focuses on improving the health of rhino populations while also benefiting local people.
We Are the Caretakers boasts a rich soundtrack composed of epic orchestras, African instrument samples, and modern hip-hop beats. Art director Anthony Jones (former cinematics artist at Activision Blizzard) combined synthetic and organic elements for his interpretation of afrofuturism and the game’s cast of mostly Black characters. BAFTA and IGF-nominated narrative director Xalavier Nelson Jr. (Hypnospace Outlaw, SkateBIRD) helped create a story that mixes sci-fi with real-world conservation issues.
“We don’t just want to raise awareness of important issues with our game, we want to have a quantifiable impact,” said Scott Brodie, founder, Heart Shaped Games. “The ID@Xbox team have been tremendous partners in getting the word out there, and both entertaining and enlightening Xbox players later this year.”
We Are The Caretakers version 1.0 releases on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC later in 2021. The game enters Steam Early Access for Windows PC on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22 for $19.99 with a 20% launch discount. The game supports English language text, with French, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, and more translations in development.
For more information, visit the official website.
