'If you're designing an RPG, you have to go back to the source:' The post-apocalyptic RPG Entropy takes notes from Fallout and a long-abandoned Warhammer spinoff

Entropy is a post-apocalyptic RPG that deviates significantly from its developers' previous work, Dread Delusion. While Dread Delusion was an homage to first-person RPGs, Entropy is distinctly JRPG-inflected, similar to Final Fantasy 10 or Lost Odyssey. However, Entropy goes beyond simply being classified as a JRPG. It offers a large party size for tactical battles, permadeath, locational damage, and a reactive storytelling approach that leans more towards PC gaming than PS2 gaming.

Lead developer James Wragg explained that Entropy is his attempt at capturing the essence of Fallout, one of his favorite games. This is evident in the locational damage system, reminiscent of Fallout's called shots, which allows players to target specific limbs or zones on enemies for increased damage or debuffs. The game's post-apocalyptic setting is also reminiscent of Fallout 1, with a desolate and intense atmosphere, and moments of levity that hark back to the pre-collapse world.

Another significant influence on Wragg was the tabletop game Mordheim, a Warhammer spinoff. The tabletop RPG's emphasis on character customization and creativity, with minimal reliance on graphics and animations, inspired Entropy's low-fi graphics and unique weapons and statuses. Wragg noted that this approach allows his team to implement a large number of diverse elements without the burden of labor-intensive assets and animations.

Wragg's development journey was heavily influenced by tabletop RPGs. As part of his early work on Dread Delusion, he studied tabletop history and its impact on digital RPGs. He emphasized that if you're designing an RPG, you need to go back to the source in tabletop games, as many modern AAA RPG systems originated from Dungeons & Dragons and other spin-off games and war games.

This understanding of foundational tabletop RPG systems has proven to be a natural choice for Wragg and his team in creating Entropy. The RPG is currently available in early access on Steam and offers a substantial free demo.