Hopetown, a nonlinear RPG developed by Longdue Games, offers an innovative approach to narrative-driven gameplay. The studio, founded by former employees of renowned companies like ZA/UM, Rockstar Games, and Bungie, has unveiled its first glimpse into the game's mechanics, positioning Hopetown as a spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed Disco Elysium. The storyline follows a journalist who wakes up in a mining town after a night of heavy drinking, grappling with a pounding hangover. As players, you must piece together the events of the previous night and navigate a burgeoning local conflict, deciding whether to de-escalate tensions or stoke the flames.

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Screenshots showcase a dialogue-heavy experience where players' choices have a profound impact on the narrative trajectory. The game offers multiple archetypes, each providing unique dialogue options and approaches to conversations. For instance, when interacting with an old woman feeding pigeons, players can choose different tones, which can significantly alter the outcome of the exchange.

Longdue Games is gearing up to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project, with a page already live on the platform. Although no specific release date has been announced, excitement is mounting among fans of narrative-focused RPGs.

Hopetown isn't the only game drawing inspiration from Disco Elysium. Two other studios, Dark Math Games and Summer Eternal, are also developing their own psychological RPGs, adding to the growing genre.