David Brevik, original creator of Diablo and former member of Blizzard North and Gazillion Entertainment, recently revealed his latest indie project titled “It Lurks Below.”
The game is due out on Steam sometime later this year, and will be released via Brevik’s own studio, Graybeard Games. It Lurks Below will reportedly feature action-RPG mechanics, sandbox-style worlds, and collectible loot, among other exciting features.
In a recent interview with Polygon, Brevik noted the comparisons between It Lurks Below and games like Terraria and Starbound, stating:
“I wanted more of a point to those games. I wanted to make an RPG with classes and leveling up, random items where you get more and more powerful as you go down into the core of the world and fight baddies.”
Brevik went on to detail how It Lurks Below—which has been in development for well over a year now—will serve as a sort of “roguelike blend” of his previous work on games like Diablo and games he currently enjoys playing (including the aforementioned Terraria and Starbound).
The roguelike elements of It Lurks Below can be easily spotted in the game’s levels, which are full of randomized monsters and items. “It Lurks Below is random built on random,” Brevik explained.
In terms of combat against these randomized monsters, players will be able acquire weapons with rather unique properties, like wands that supposedly act like guns according to Brevik.
There will also be tools players can pick up that’ll help them navigate the game’s vast, discoverable landscape.
Looking at initial screenshots, gamers will likely notice the dark aesthetic in It Lurks Below, which oozes with style. “It’s definitely got a pixel retro kind of feel to it. I’ve tried to make it as dark and creepy as I can… creepy atmosphere and lighting,” Brevik stated.
Following the game’s release, Brevik plans to continue supporting It Lurks Below as the game’s sole developer.
“I’m going to be adding stuff to [It Lurks Below], listening to the community, getting feedback, and making sure the game is the best it can be. That is something I definitely worked hard on with Marvel Heroes, getting that feedback from the community.”
As mentioned above, Brevik plans to release It Lurks Below on Steam sometime later this year, with a closed beta scheduled to go live this weekend. If you’re hoping for a chance to hop into the closed beta, however, it’s worth noting that it’ll reportedly be limited to 200 people.
Fortunately, Brevik also plans to stream It Lurks Below on the Graybeard Games Twitch channel this coming Friday at 9 p.m. (PST). This means you have a guaranteed opportunity to get a better feel for the game even if you’re unable to gain access to the exclusive closed beta.
