Gamers who play chapter one before development on chapter two commences will impact City of the Shroud’s story, influencing decisions about who lives, dies and rises to power, as well as the ultimate fate of a city under siege.

Iskendrun’s collapse seems inevitable as the nobility continues to neglect the poorest citizens while pursuing an unsustainable conquest of neighboring countries, bringing the city to the brink of bloody civil war. Faceless evil looms, increasing tension among the people and widening the division between the city’s five political factions.

The fight for power won’t be easy, but it will be fun. City of the Shroud combines tactical RPG elements with classic fighting game inputs that result in intense, devastating combos that play out in real-time. Down, left, up, right – the game’s Combo Wheel draws inspiration from the traditional d-pad to promote think-on-your-feet strategy in new ways.

Players must choose their foes carefully, though. Future chapters of Iskendrun’s story will see political shifts based on allegiances sworn by members of the community, as well as their decisions within those factions. While it’s possible to revisit decisions and story branches by replaying the game, every decision has permanent consequence, as only the first playthrough of each player will contribute to the narrative direction of subsequent chapters. Become a part of history: join City of the Shroud’s writers and community as they craft this tumultuous tale together.

“How do people react when everything is complicated, when it’s all a moral grey area?” said Keaton White, founder of Abyssal Arts. “We want to see what choices the community makes and create a cycle where we take the base material they give us and weave it into a coherent narrative. The story has only begun – the players will finish it.”

Online one-on-one PVP will give players a chance to test out their best combos on one another. Balancing split-second decision-making and waiting for the perfect moment to strike will make the difference between victory and defeat.

Developed by a former Capcom production manager with a narrative penned by The Light and Shadow trilogy author Moira Katso, City of the Shroud will release August 9, 2018 for PC and Mac (Steam, $19.99 USD / €19.99). Purchase includes the whole game, with each chapter coming out every few months via free updates to allow time for the team and players to craft the story. Xbox One and PS4 ports containing all chapters will debut in 2019.