Beast, a tactical RPG that was released in 2023, has been receiving positive attention during its Early Access phase on Steam. The game, known for its gothic horror theme and dynamic turn-based tactical gameplay, has garnered praise from players. Game Rant interviewed developer False Prophet and game writer Michał Mochocki to gain insight into Beast’s development, design, and future plans.

A notable aspect of Beast is its setting, which draws inspiration from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Mochocki clarified that while the game doesn’t explicitly mention Poland, the Kingdom of Liakhya serves as a stand-in for the historical location. The game includes numerous historical details, places, and characters from 16th-century Poland, Transylvania, Ukraine, Lithuania, and more, giving players a subtle glimpse into Polish history and culture.

Beast draws inspiration from popular titles like Gears Tactics, XCOM, and Darkest Dungeon in its combat design. The game’s gridless movement system offers more flexibility and speed, providing modern tactical gameplay.

Beast introduces an insanity system where players’ actions and treatments affect the protagonist’s sanity, influenced by games like Darkest Dungeon and Vampire: the Masquerade, as well as the Call of Cthulhu RPG. The game also pays homage to historical horror stories, drawing from legends about characters like Vlad the Impaler and Elizabeth Bathory.

The challenges of balancing the game are highlighted, especially with the consequences of the protagonist’s transformation into “Beast Mode” during combat. Beast aims to make every action have a meaningful consequence and to keep the game balanced whether players choose to approach situations calmly or impulsively.

The Early Access phase has been instrumental in refining the game, with community feedback playing a significant role in the development process. The positive response from players has been rewarding, and the team is looking forward to implementing more features and content in the game’s roadmap.

Looking ahead, the team aims to complete the game’s wishlist of features and bring the game to consoles. The developer is also working on optimizing Beast for the Steam Deck, with plans to make it Steam Deck Verified upon its 1.0 release.

In conclusion, Beast’s journey through Early Access has been a positive experience, and the development team continues to work hard to deliver a compelling and engaging tactical RPG to players.