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A legendary free roguelike is getting a prequel after 16 years, all because fans pledged $240,000 to make it happen.
The original game we're talking about here would be Elona, a roguelike released in 2007. Elona was sold on its freedom, granting players a partly procedurally generated world to explore, a complex turn-based battle system, and a character creator with 11 races to choose from.
Now, Elona is back in the form of Elin, a prequel roguelike set about 30 years before the story of the original game (via Automaton). A whole 16 years after Elona first debuted, Elin is set to be made thanks entirely to the generosity of long-time fans, who've amassed over $240,000 to entirely fund the prequel's development.
If this wasn't astounding enough, Elin is being developed by one person, dubbed 'Noa.' The solo developer is currently targeting a launch on PC via Steam, with a alpha arriving at the end of 2023 at the absolute earliest. Don't expect to be playing Elin in full for at least a few years yet.
Elin is going to be drawing on familiar concepts for veterans of Elona. Multiple characters from the original will be making an appearance in the prequel, and players will be journeying around the regions of North Tyris and Mysilia, two areas that also popped up in Elona.
The prequel will also be keeping the turn-based battle system and roguelike elements of the original game, but with some new aspects thrown in. You'll now be able to craft items from scratch, but you'll also have survival mechanics to contend with, which will no doubt cut plenty of the roguelike playthroughs short.
There's honestly a treasure trove of information on Elin's Kickstarter page, including concept art, music, and a complete explanation of why Elin is even being made in the first place. This is one game that no one probably predicted popping up in 2023.
Check out our upcoming PC games guide for a look over other adventures to delve into before Elin's alpha phase arrives.
