The Pillars of the Earth is a historical novel by Ken Follett, first published in 1989. German games publisher Daedalic Entertainment is working on turning it into a point-and-click adventure.
I recently got a look at the game, which is set in 12th-century England, as well as some gameplay footage (above). I played a section that takes place in a monastery, in which a senior monk called Phillip talks to juniors in order to find out information.
Following the death of the head monk, the monastery is in the midst of political turmoil, so making smart dialogue choices is important. A dialogue wheel generally offers between two and four options. I also explored 2D environments, looking for rooms and clues, but this looks like a game in which the main point is to play through the narrative in your own way, rather than worrying about tough puzzles.
The Pillars of the Earth takes place over a 30-year period, during a time called The Anarchy. The country was riven by a war for the throne, between various descendants of William the Conqueror. The book centers on the building of a cathedral at a time when religion, power and economic life were closely entwined, but when marauding warriors and their landed bosses pretty much did what they pleased.
The section featured in the above video takes place in a forest outside the town of Kingsbridge, focusing on the death of a woman in childbirth, and the fate of her baby. As a young lad called Jack, the player hunts for food, learns a book and finds the baby.
The first episode of three is due to be released on Aug. 15 on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. Each episode features seven chapters, following the fortunes of Jack, Phillip and Aliena, the daughter of a murdered nobleman.
