The Technomancer
A Martian action RPG with branching choices and three combat styles.
The Technomancer is an action role-playing game from 2016, created by Spiders and released by Focus Home Interactive. It takes place in the same world as Spiders' earlier title, Mars: War Logs. The music was composed by Olivier Deriviere.
In combat, players choose from three distinct styles. They can recruit companions who gain levels, and improve their own abilities. Quests offer multiple solutions based on player choices, and the story has three endings, each shaped by several key decisions made along the way. Weapons and armor can be crafted, and there are four separate skill trees.
The story unfolds during the War of Water, two centuries after humans colonized Mars. The main character is Zachariah, a rookie technomancer and former delinquent from Abundance, one of the planet's powerful water guilds. Shortly after becoming a technomancer, he is pursued by the guild's secret police. Escaping the city of Ophir with a group of companions, he hides in the merchant city of Noctis, where he searches for a working communications beacon to contact Earth.
Development began with an announcement on April 10, 2015. Spiders shared an open letter on the PlayStation Blog along with a trailer. A 13-minute gameplay video appeared on August 7, 2015, and a five-minute video on June 21, 2015. In an April interview, CEO Jehanne Rousseau noted that Mars is much larger in The Technomancer than in Mars: War Logs, with several hubs and cities to unlock. She estimated the main quest takes 25 to 30 hours, and including side quests it can reach around 50 hours. The game has about four times as many quests as Bound by Flame. When asked about DLC, Rousseau said the game would be a complete product with no current plans for extra content, though they might consider it later. She also described it as Spiders' largest and most expansive game to date.
Reception was mixed or average, according to Metacritic. IGN said the game has the components of a mid-2000s BioWare title but lacks technical polish and storytelling skill, sometimes painfully. Combat drew heavy criticism for lacking flow or rhythm and relying on random chance for difficulty, though the setting was praised.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Technomancer
- Developer
- Spiders
- Publisher
- Focus Home Interactive
- Composer
- Olivier Deriviere
- Engine
- PhyreEngine
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One
- Released
- 28 June 2016
- Genre
- Action role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Technomancer is set during the War of Water, 200 years after human colonization of Mars. The protagonist, Zachariah, is a rookie technomancer and former delinquent from Abundance, one of the powerful water guilds on the red planet. Shortly after his initiation as a technomancer, he is forced to flee from the guild's secret police. Escaping the city of Ophir with a group of companions, he takes refuge in the hidden merchant city of Noctis, where he begins searching for a functioning communications beacon to reestablish contact with Earth.
Reader's Guide
The Technomancer was first announced on 10 April 2015 via an open letter to PlayStation Blog accompanied by a trailer. A 13-minute gameplay video was released on 7 August 2015, and a five-minute video on 21 June 2015. In an interview, CEO Jehanne Rousseau stated that Mars is much larger in The Technomancer compared to Mars: War Logs, with several hubs and cities that can be unlocked. Rousseau estimated the main quest at 25 to 30 hours, extendable to around 50 hours with side quests, and noted that the game contains roughly four times as many quests as Bound by Flame. Regarding potential DLC, Rousseau said the game would be a complete, finished product with no current plans for additional content, though Spiders might consider it later. The game received 'mixed or average' reviews on Metacritic. IGN noted it has the moving parts of a mid-2000s BioWare game but lacks technical polish and storytelling finesse. Combat was criticized for lacking flow or rhythm and for difficulty dependent on random chance, though the setting was praised.
Did You Know?
- The game is set 200 years after human colonization of Mars, during the War of Water.
- The protagonist Zachariah is a former delinquent from the water guild Abundance.
- The game has three different endings, each slightly modified by several major choices.
- Spiders CEO Jehanne Rousseau stated the game is the largest and most expansive the studio had made to date.
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