Orken Announced for PC with Demo Arriving in February

SIXMOREVODKA and Demagog Studio have officially announced Orken, a new action RPG centered on the classic “Orcs vs. Humans” theme.

The title is scheduled for release exclusively on PC via Steam, though a final launch date has not yet been specified.

Players will, however, have an opportunity to experience the game soon, as a playable demo is slated to launch on February 26.

The developers describe Orken as a “Neanderthal Western,” aiming to deliver a grounded and immersive take on the age-old conflict.

The action RPG features a unique blend of inspirations, combining character-driven storytelling evocative of the Mass Effect franchise with weighty, deliberate combat mechanics drawn from the challenging style of Dark Souls.

Visually, the game will present a bold, graphic aesthetic that has been influenced by the rhythm action game Hi-Fi RUSH.

The development is a collaborative effort between the two studios.

SIXMOREVODKA is leading the charge on the worldbuilding and visual direction, ensuring the game’s presentation aligns with their established artistic vision.

Concurrently, Demagog Studio is driving the core gameplay systems and combat design, focusing on creating a compelling player experience.

While the game exists within a larger fictional universe originally crafted by Marko Djurdjevic, Orken is being carefully designed to serve as a complete, standalone experience for newcomers.

The narrative follows the young Khar warrior Coltec after his best friend vanishes.

Coltec must assemble a party of allies and venture into uncharted territory to pursue the kidnappers.

His journey leads him to uncover a terrible fate that looms over his homeland, Edom.

Armed with his warhammer, Vikari’s Bite, and leveraging his Totem to lend him powerful abilities in combat, Coltec is forced to fight for both his friend and his own survival.

Gameplay is structured as an action-adventure in the vein of games such as Dark Souls and Dragon’s Dogma, emphasizing tight, stamina-based combat with stunning visuals directly leveraging the artwork of SIXMOREVODKA.

Combat is tightly-focused and Soulslike, requiring players to manage their stamina bar for quick dodges and carefully line up their own counterattacks.

Success relies on the strategic use of special, cooldown-limited abilities to augment basic strikes.

Repeated strikes on an enemy will build a poise meter, eventually staggering the foe and leaving them vulnerable for an execution at low health.

Progression in Orken is tied to Coltec’s “Atman,” a Totem pole that represents his soul’s attunement to the Spirit World.

As players gain experience through combat and exploration, they can level up and unlock new tiers on the Atman.

These tiers can be rotated to activate or deactivate abilities, revealing special combinations when abilities are properly aligned with each other, amplifying some effects while nullifying others.

Players will also guide Coltec’s journey through dialogue and pivotal story decisions.

Non-player characters will react dynamically to the player’s choices, causing Coltec to gain or lose favor with different individuals, which in turn influences future interactions and available options.

Choosing allies carefully and watching enemies closely will be critical to directing Coltec’s fate towards its inevitable conclusion.

A release trailer is now available to watch: