If you have been waiting for more details on Du Lac & Fey’s: Dance of Death you do not have much time left to wait. At this years Rezzed 2017 where developers studio Salix Games at London’s Tobacco Dock between Friday 13th April and Sunday 15th April.
Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey tells the tale of immortal knight Sir Lancelot Du Lac and cursed sorceress Morgana Le Fey – both lifted from Arthurian Legend – as they venture onto the suitably smoggy streets of Victorian London to investigate the murders attributed to the legendary Jack the Ripper.
In the midst of their inquiries they also encounter a certain Mary Kelly, the Ripper’s soon to be last victim, who may well hold the key to the entire mystery. Throughout play, all three characters have their own demons to contend with, and though the setting of the game will send players back in time to the 19th century, the story within will bring them surging back to the present day.
“To take a game so overtly wrapped in the past and then to bed it down with the kind of issues many of our players will encounter in the present day is a contrast we couldn’t resist,” comments Jessica Saunders, founder of Salix Games. “Du Lac is himself a man who is stuck out of time, trapped in a society whose rules no longer apply to him, for reasons the player will unfold.
Though Du Lac’s prime concern is hunting down the infamous Jack the Ripper, his life is also governed by his new found immortality. As a result, though attracted to both women and men, he finds it hard to commit to a relationship knowing he’ll ultimately out live them and be left alone.
Du Lac’s companion – the now canine Morgana Le Fey – was herself once a part of Arthurian Legend, having been the sister of King Arthur. Now bound in the form of a dog, she’s quick with her wits, longing to live the life of a normal human being in a changing London.
“Despite her appearance, Fey is still a woman; she has desires, she wishes for friendship, to be seen as a person and not a pet or a thing,” continues Saunders. “She is a woman with agency, who is determined to get what she wants and will not let anyone tell her otherwise. It has been a constant struggle for Fey to reconcile how the world sees her and her personhood, her femininity, her desires. The question is, will she ever regain her human form, but more importantly who will she be when that happens?”
Also making an appearance is the Ripper’s last ever victim, Mary Jane Kelly In reality, there are conflicting stories about Kelly and her life, with developer Salix Games deciding to start anew and tell its own tale. In Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey, Kelly is a woman plagued by visions of the future – visions that, though ultimately always proved true, fail to prevent a tragic and ultimately traumatic incident in her past. Now working on the streets of Whitechapel as a sex worker, Kelly struggles to form new relationships both because of her profession and her anguish over the loss of her husband. She’s a troubled character, but one who could prove crucial to Du Lac & Fey’s investigation.
Stars from the likes of Torchwood, Penny Dreadful, Black Mirror and Game of Thrones all help bring Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey to life, ensuring the narrative has the delivery it needs to do it justice.
Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey features:
- An absorbing and atmospheric tale of a 19th century London being torn apart by the murderous Jack the Ripper
- Three playable characters, – immortal knight Sir Lancelot Du Lac, the cursed sorceress Morgana Le Fey, and the Ripper’s last victim Mary Kelly – each of whom has their own demons to take on in play
- Crime scene investigations tailored to the skills of the three main characters, encouraging players to adapt their approach
- A multi-branching story where in-game decisions impact on each character’s resolution
- A wide array of NPCs designed to show what real life was like in 19th century Whitechapel
- A cast of amazing voice actors, including stars from Torchwood, Penny Dreadful, Black Mirror and Game of Thrones
Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey will launch on PC in 2018.
Salix Games will be showcasing Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey in London’s Tobacco Dock at ND12 in the North Dock between Friday 13th April and Sunday 15th April.
