Who’s ready for an indie side-scrolling MMO’s first public debut? Then mark your calendar for Friday, April 10th, which is when Etherwind will open its doors to Steam players for the first time in a weekend-long public playtest.
Described by developer Accidental Cube as “a small-scale 2.5D MMORPG focused on social play, cooperative combat, and long-term progression,” Etherwind is a PvE world of exploration and monster slaying with others in what looks like a MapleStory-esque gameplay loop.
Character progression is centered around a “rebirth” system that sees multiple generations of characters grow in stat power, though skills and abilities are reset at rebirth, though some skills can be retained by using points earned in parties. The game will also not feature set classes, instead letting stat allocation, gear, and skills determine playstyle.
This public playtest will be smaller in scale in terms of what’s on offer, granting access to four core archetypes of Fighter, Vitalist, Archer, and Rogue, along with a small world to play around in. The rebirth system will not be in this test, as it’s mostly about seeing how party play works and gathering feedback.
Etherwind is angling for an early access release sometime soon, so those who care to follow along can wishlist the game on Steam or check out a recent alpha gameplay preview below.
