It’s a query that’s captivated probably the most superior minds of a era: might portray fake miniatures in a recreation ever be as satisfying as the true factor? It’s a proposition offered in Moonbreaker, a turn-based, tabletop techniques recreation from Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds. And to assist to reply it precisely, PC Gamer teamed up with miniature painter extraordinaire and all-round good egg Emil Nyström from the Age of Squidmar YouTube channel. And he’d know: Emil’s channel has amassed hundreds of thousands of views with movies about issues like brush care, newbie portray strategies, and color concept. He’s even commissioned artists on Fiverr to finish Warhammer fashions, basically making him the Mr. Beast of paying strangers to color Imperial Fists.
You possibly can see Squidmar’s detailed tackle Moonbreaker’s portray mode within the video above—full with demonstrations of some basic miniature strategies resembling mixing and chipping—but it surely’s value declaring that this isn’t only a gimmick. Moonbreaker is designed to really feel like a recreation performed with bodily miniatures. There’s a satisfying tactility to the designs that remembers the wallet-bothering fervour which accompanies most new Warhammer releases.
The most important distinction right here, nevertheless, is that as an alternative of displacing the present, half-painted miniatures languishing in your shelf (keep robust, Dankhold Troggoth), you possibly can construct your digital assortment with neither guilt nor judgement. That itch to get your fingers on the most recent mannequin is scratched by the power to unlock new characters, all of which come painted. And, when the time is true, you possibly can dive in and create new color schemes with out having to wash off current paint jobs with meths and your accomplice’s toothbrush.
The fascinating factor right here is that the strategy to customisation is intentionally restricted. Sure, you possibly can stipple, wash, and drybrush, however the vary of instruments echoes what you have got portray the true factor, reasonably than providing an idealistic diploma of precision. The result’s one thing that captures the zen, time-devouring expertise of portray Warhammer, with out the peril of by accident knocking over your Nuln Oil, and also you solely want to have a look at Emil’s completed paint job to get a vivid sense of what’s potential.
A part of the enjoyment of portray plastic legions, after all, comes from dense narrative fluff that surrounds each faction. They’re not simply goblins anymore, mum; they’re Gloomspite Gitz. On this respect, Moonbreaker equals and maybe even outstrips the extent of world-building seen in most tabletop video games. The lore and overarching story are supplied by award-winning creator Brandon Sanderson, creator of the Mistborn sequence, in addition to the broader Cosmere universe by which it’s set. He’s additionally the person liable for ending Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time sequence.
Sanderson labored with Unknown Worlds for years to develop a wealthy, actual setting for Moonbreaker. It’s a spot of myriad planets, clashing cultures, and particular techniques for know-how and magic—one thing Sanderson is aware of loads about, because the creator of a sequence of go-to legal guidelines of magic for software in fictional settings.
The way in which this info is imparted additionally sparks the creativeness. Every character’s historical past is contained inside their biographies, but it surely reveals as an alternative of tells: they’re offered as track lyrics, e-book excerpts, or private creeds. This context, mixed with the bubbling voice performing, give a extra full image of who you’re taking part in with. The broader story of the sport additionally works along side the portray mode. The broader factors of the plot are detailed in audio dramas which can be found in-game or as podcasts. The cool factor right here is you could pay attention to those whereas portray your fashions, which is the nicest means of imparting background plot factors since somebody realised the Mom Base struts in Steel Gear Stable 5 have been precisely the fitting size to hearken to one of many recreation’s voluminous assortment of audio tapes. And there’s loads to hearken to: three audio dramas might be launched throughout Moonbreaker’s first season, with extra deliberate for later updates.
As anybody who’s ever felt a shiver of pleasure seeing a contemporary sprue of unpainted minis is aware of, nevertheless, the opposite thrill of the interest comes from amassing. Moonbreaker contains a component of this, too. You begin off with a restricted collection of captains and crew from which to decide on, however a number of video games towards both the AI or different gamers will bag you adequate factors to start out increasing your assortment, and booster packs work as a shortcut to an expanded assortment. In addition to bolstering your rosters and offering new methods to play the sport, you possibly can unlock paint jobs, paint palettes, decals, and unique skins free of charge as you progress by the primary season, including but extra selection to your burgeoning assortment. Moonbreaker is out in early entry now, and registering for an in-game ID earlier than October 31 may also bag you an unique paint job for one of many characters.