Paradox Development Studio has officially revealed its next grand strategy title, Afterworld, a post-apocalyptic game set in North America. The game, revealed during Gamescom's Opening Night Live, shifts away from Paradox's typical historical and space-faring settings to focus on tribal survival and conquest in a ruined world.
Afterworld places players in charge of a tribe of survivors navigating the remnants of a collapsed civilization. A key feature of the game is the presence of the Ancients, immortal figures from before the fall who wield forgotten technology and vie for control. Players will select their tribe's origin, with one option being a Fallout-inspired start that involves leaving the safety of a bunker to venture into the wasteland.
The gameplay emphasizes survival, requiring players to secure essential resources like food and water before focusing on expansion and rebuilding. Development lead Dan Lind, formerly of Hearts of Iron 4, stated that Afterworld is Paradox's first new world-building endeavor in a decade, allowing them to craft a setting from scratch and then destroy it before the game begins. The old world's fragments are scattered throughout the game, offering opportunities for discovery.
Unlike many of Paradox's previous grand strategy titles, players begin with virtually nothing, gradually rebuilding civilization or forging something entirely new. This includes establishing new religions, enacting laws, and utilizing pre-Fall technology, such as the spider robot seen in the game's trailer. The game incorporates convoy systems to establish trade routes and supply lines, and players have the option to migrate, become nomads, or adopt a raider lifestyle if their home becomes untenable.
Afterworld is designed to be Paradox's most exploration-focused grand strategy game to date. The game features an "ideas tree," which functions as a technology tree, but its progression is directly tied to the tribe's experiences and discoveries. For example, encountering a river might unlock irrigation technologies, while meeting another tribe with an established religion could lead to the discovery of organized religion concepts. This system is influenced by procedural generation, ensuring that while core geographical elements remain consistent, encounters with different tribes, resources, and dangers will vary with each playthrough.
Concepts from other Paradox titles, including Stellaris and Crusader Kings, appear to be integrated into Afterworld's design. Despite the focus on managing a tribe rather than an individual ruler, the game incorporates some role-playing game elements. Lind expressed his anticipation for the stories players will create in this unique post-apocalyptic setting.
Development of Afterworld is being led by Dan Lind. The game is slated to be Paradox's first non-historical setting in ten years, offering a fresh challenge for both the development team and its player base, who may have been anticipating a fantasy-themed 4X game. The post-apocalyptic genre provides a distinct and novel backdrop for the grand strategy format.