Techland and InXile Entertainment have released a trailer detailing the various mechanics that run throughout the battle system of their upcoming title Torment: Tides of Numenera.

Players will enter Numenera, a land torn apart by conflict after the rise and collapse of several empires. InXile have attempted to build the game’s battle mechanics around decision making – players will always have the choice of trying to avoid conflict through persuading and deceiving opponents. Whilst the mechanics to avoid fights are present, the developers have pointed out that “even just a bad roll of the dice – will mean that blood must be spilt” suggesting that there is an aspect of chaos tied to even the most logical of actions a player takes.

Tides of Numenera follows a simple RPG experience based system, with players able to develop their Might, Speed, and Intellect. The development of skills such as speech also has a role inside the battle as players can attempt to persuade enemies to stop fighting and flee. InXile have claimed that the mechanics of the game will deliver “thousands of meaningful decisions that will make every playthrough unique”.

The trailer also revealed further details on the more advanced aspects of the game’s battle system called ‘Cyphers’. Cyphers allow players to call upon a host of powerful summons, ghostly allies, and elemental attacks to inflict greater damage on enemies. However, much like the Materia system in Final Fantasy 7, too many equipped Cyphers will affect a character’s statistics negatively meaning that players will have to adapt their equipment styles strategically to best reflect the matter at hand.

Death is not the end

Whilst the trailer gave us a far more developed idea of what to expect from the somewhat conventional battle mechanics, there was an intriguing surprise revealed as well. If you die within the game don’t expect a simple restart, instead players are transported to a mysterious labyrinthine world set within the mind of your character. Here you can find out information surrounding wider aspects of the game’s story and develop a better understanding of the world before you return to it once more. The ‘Castoff Labyrinth’ reflects a new dimension to the game that sets Tides of Numenera apart from the conventional RPG.

Torment: Tides of Numenera will be released on 28 February for PS4, Xbox One, and Steam, with a PC Exclusive and Collector’s Edition of the game available.