Revision 2

Player-driven history

Patrik Methe has been explicit about the narrative approach. In the PlayStation Blog post: "For us, that meant giving players real agency, not just in combat, but in how wars unfold, how alliances are formed, and how history is written."

The game features a non-linear structure where decisions shape the broader conflict. Players influence the narrative through exploration, combat, and interaction with factions representing the four intelligent races. The path to founding the Arajit Kingdom is not a fixed sequence of missions but a series of choices about who to ally with and how to handle the Nhaga threat.

"Your world, not ours"

KRAFTON has described the design philosophy as making players feel the world belongs to them. Methe used the phrase "your world, not ours" and emphasized "as little hand-holding as possible." Players chart their own course through the conflict.

This extends beyond narrative choices. The exploration itself is designed to be organic. No glowing trails, no quest markers cluttering the screen. You find objectives by observing and interacting with the world rather than following interface prompts.

Prequel freedom

Setting the game 1,500 years before the novels gives KRAFTON creative room. Lee Yeong-do's books describe this era in broad strokes. The Hero King founded a kingdom. The Nhaga were pushed south. But the specific events, battles, and political negotiations are left largely unexplored in the source material.

This means the game can offer genuine choice without contradicting established lore. Players know where history ends up (the Arajit Kingdom exists in the novels), but the path to get there is theirs to decide.

Faction interactions

The four races each have their own agendas, territories, and reasons to distrust one another. The Hero King's task is not simply to defeat the Nhaga but to convince Humans, Tokkebi, and fellow Rekon to cooperate despite centuries of mutual suspicion. How the player navigates these factional politics shapes both the immediate war effort and the eventual founding of the Arajit Kingdom.

Standalone accessibility

KRAFTON has positioned the game as accessible to newcomers who have never read Lee Yeong-do's novels. The story works on its own terms. Fans of the books get the satisfaction of experiencing a period they have only read about in passing references, but no prior knowledge is required.