Update (01.26) — The game's Kickstarter campaign has now been cancelled, though the developer states that it has secured outside funding to continue development.

As a first-time developer staffed by industry veterans, Pixelmage Games has set up a Kickstarter campaign to secure the funding needed to finish their debut game, Hero's Song. The developers themselves describe the game as an "open-world roguelike fantasy sandbox experience." The team is looking to embrace the 2D, pixelated roots of the genre while pushing it forward in the areas of multiplayer and world creation.

At the core of all things Hero's Song lies a pantheon of gods, specially designed for the game, picked by the player at each game's outset, whose influence can be felt in everything including world geography, races/classes/abilities available, and a detailed history of the world, shaping its politics and inter-species relations as they stand at the game's start. Each time a new game is started, these variables are determined all over again, based on which gods the player chooses to align him or herself with.

Hero's Song is an action RPG at its core, with controls similar to Diablo III. There is no main quest; the game's true heart lies in the joy of adventuring across a high fantasy world, exploring diverse biomes, and delving deep into dungeons in the name of gold and glory. Permadeath is always a possibility, but hardcore players will eventually earn a chance to pass into legend, or even ascend to godhood itself. Featuring a deep crafting system, the game also offers the ability to play by oneself or on a multiplayer server.

Pixelmage's goal is to reach a goal of $800,000 by Feb 18, 2016. The game itself is available by pledging $15 or more. It releases for PC in October (followed by a Mac release sometime later). 

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