I’m sure everybody who knows me or has ever read anything I’ve written about games knows that I’m very serious about BioWare. Mooncrest isn’t a BioWare game—KnightMayor is the studio behind it. While KnightMayor was formed by former BioWare folks, I don’t want to diminish a new studio by comparing it to an entirely different studio. But as a BioWare fan, I’m still pretty excited. Mooncrest is partly inspired by mods to the BioWare game Neverwinter Nights, and reportedly has “an engaging story told through characters in the BioWare style.” KnightMayor’s focus is on story, characters, and diverse gameplay, which speaks to their BioWare roots as well.
KnightMayor’s founders are Rick Burton, James Henley, and Brian Ledden (all formerly of BioWare), and Jeffrey “V” Visgaitis of Dungeons & Dragons fame. Game credits include the Mass Effect series, the Dragon Age series, Jade Empire, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, as well as Neverwinter Nights. Artists on the Mooncrest project include Simon Knopp and Max Degen, both of whom previously worked on Ori and the Blind Forest.
Mooncrest’s core gameplay elements include an immersive storyline based on personal interactions, real-time tactical combat, and challenging puzzle-solving. KnightMayor calls it “a story of sisterhood.”
One of the most exciting things about Mooncrest, for me, is its dual protagonists, both of whom are women.
Mooncrest’s Pirotase.
Mooncrest’s Sera.
Sera is a paladin with an idealistic but naive worldview. She crosses paths with Pirotase, “a streetsmart outcast,” who causes Sera to question her dogmatic views. The two must “unveil a conspiracy that puts all of the city at risk.” It’s rare to have a female protagonist in a game, and even rarer to have two. I’m wildly excited about Mooncrest’s potential.
Some concept art for Sera.
