The Forgotten City - once a murder mystery mod for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - is launching July 28 for PC, Xbox, Switch, and PlayStation, according to publisher Dear Villagers. The PC edition of the game will be available through Steam, and also in a deluxe edition including a digital map and soundtrack, plus a 3D print file for the character Sentius.
The original Forgotten City, created by Nick Pearce, was released for Skyrim in October 2015. Once installed players could start the mystery by discovering its associated ruins or else by waiting for a courier letter once reaching level 5 or later. The mod was last updated in August 2017 - since then, Pearce has been collaborating on the standalone version. The mod was notable for having unusually complex interactions, including puzzles, custom NPCs, and multiple endings.
The new version of The Forgotten City - built on the Unreal Engine - is set in an ancient Roman city where, under a "Golden Rule," no one is allowed to sin since the punishment literally turns everyone into gold. The player's character comes from a future when that event took place, leaving them to discover what happened. To entice both old and new players the 2021 title significantly expands puzzles and story, for instance offering additional solutions and endings. Players can use methods like logic, charm, bribery, and stealth, sometimes even exploiting the time loop they're stuck in. One early item players acquire is a bow that can turn organic objects into gold. The release date and trailer were shared by IGN.
Developer Modern Storyteller is said to have worked with a pair of historical consultants to recreate the art, architecture, clothing, and customs of a first-century Roman city. The Forgotten City mod was of course based in the world of Skyrim and would've required special licensing from Bethesda without the change in setting. Its story already had parallels with fables as well as the real Roman custom of decimation - executing every one in 10 people for the offenses of an army cohort.
Relatively few mods get the chance to become standalone games like The Forgotten City, but some have been extremely successful. The real-time strategy title DOTA 2, for example, began as a Warcraft 3 mod, and the tactical shooter Counter-Strike was a mod for Half-Life. Rarer still are ones that have had sequels - Chivalry 2, released earlier in June, is a sequel to a 2012 game which in turn was based on a Half-Life 2 mod.
Source: IGN, IGN/Youtube