14 for 2014: Wasteland 2

One of the first games that was part of the new wave of Kickstarted isometric-RPGs set to release in 2014 is going to be Wasteland 2, the sequel to the classic 1988 title, Wasteland, which itself was the precursor to the Fallout series, now being developed as first-person RPGs by Bethesda (we're still waiting for official confirmation of Fallout 4, which had it been announced this year, would've certainly been appearing in one of these previews).

The isometric-RPG is currently in the midst of a renaissance thanks to Kickstarter, as games that weren't previously attracting funding from publishers are now able to approach gamers directly through crowdfunding websites. It's allowing developers like Brian Fargo to make the games that they want to make, not the games that publishers think will turn the highest profit.

"I've never had more pressure to ship a game in my life, for sure." Fargo told us at Gamescom. "Kickstarter, there's a lot of... I mean I love it, but it's very personal. You're putting yourself out there to succeed or fail for the world to see."

There are going to be plenty of eyes on InXile after their funding campaign. They asked for $900,000 to make the game, and ended up receiving just shy of $3 million (including a couple of contributions from certain Gamereactor staff members). Gamers responded to the pitch with enthusiasm (and wads of cash), and it's clear that there's still room for these kind of classic RPG experiences in the modern gaming landscape. And it's a two-way street; while consumers are able to throw money at projects they want to see made real, game makers are also able to transparently pitch the titles that they want to make without compromising their vision to widen the profit margins of the financiers.

"I love the category, the genre. I've always loved post-apocalyptic," Fargo explained. "I love a certain kind of role-playing game, which is a very reactive one, very dark and kind of twisted, kind of funny, so there's a certain style of game that I love to do and I've been wanting to make."

He continued: "I knew there was a desire for me to make it, but then there was a retailer or a publisher, there was obstacles in between, so I never could get there. So I always felt like I knew people wanted it, how am I going to get there?! It's been very fulfilling to be very persistent all these years and have Kickstarter come along and give me that opportunity."

He's not alone in his endeavors, with several of the key figures from the earlier games jumping onboard for the latest project. Original primary designers Alan Pavlish and Mike Stackpole are involved, as are other notable industry names like Ken St. Andre and Liz Danforth. Jason Anderson, who wrote the original Fallout 1/2 stories, has contributed here, as has Fallout 1/2 composer Mark Morgan. Colin McComb and Nathan Long later signed up as writers, but perhaps the most notable name in the line-up is Chris Avellone, who came onboard as part of a stretch goal.

"Getting over three million dollars for Wasteland 2 ended up proving to us that doing old school RPGs like Wasteland 1, there's still a very dedicated genre of fans out there who want to see those types of role-playing games again, and three million dollars was hard proof that that fan base was out there," Avellone told us Gamelab when we asked him about the project.

Avellone is involved in the Kickstarter project for Wasteland 2, but he's also heading up his own project, Project Eternity (now renamed Pillars of Eternity), and the funding that game was able to attract managed to eclipse even Wasteland (around $4 million). He's also involved with Torment: Tides of Numenera, another isometric-RPG that was able to attract around $4 million in funding from the crowd. These are not insignificant sums of money, and a dedicated community is clearly prepared to put their money where their collective mouth is and fund these games based on promises.

But it's Wasteland 2 that has us most excited (probably because we're going to get our hands on it first). The post-apocalyptic setting is utterly compelling, the team behind it has some serious pedigree, and the vision that underpins the game is untainted by financial necessity.

The beta is already out there and is currently being played by backers who invested in the higher tiers, and our appetites where whetted just a few weeks ago when the original Wasteland was released on Steam for backers to have a little nostalgia trip. Here's hoping Fargo and his team's vision of the game lives up to our lofty expectations.