What kind of game is it?

Primal: The Awakening is a fully cooperative combat-oriented campaign game, based on card-driven mechanics, where players fight against huge monsters controlled by a unique AI system.

What's this page about?

This is a special update in which we have summarized most of the questions you are asking us revealing some information you may be looking for about the project.

Enjoy the spoilers! :)

LORE

What's the setting of the game?

Thyrea, the world of Primal: The Awakening, exists in an original high fantasy setting characterized by tribal and prehistoric elements and centered around the wilderness and the brutality of nature.

Who are the main characters? Why do they go hunting?

The hunters are part of a special militia of Alborea, the main human settlement in the world of Thyrea. As the story evolves, they receive quests from their commander or from other influential characters based on the plot events.

Who are the monsters? Why do the monsters attack humans?

Wild creatures and animals have dominated for centuries the regions of Thyrea, but the origins of the monsters you fight in the game and the reason of their aggression is shrouded in mystery and it's exactly what you are going to discover during the story ;)

Is there magic in this world?

Yes, despite magic being rare in the setting (and not directly available for the playable characters), it is definitely present at a deeper level in the background lore of the world of Thyrea. As you dig into the story, you will find signs of a profound mystical aspect of nature having important implications and mysterious origins.

CAMPAIGN & GAME MODES

Is this a legacy game?

It definitely has legacy elements, being that during the campaign each game you play directly affects the next session in terms of achievements, character progression, crafted gear and unlocked quests.
But:
> you don't have to destroy any of the game components (please, don't :) )
> it is fully replayable

Is there a "one-shot" mode? Can I just play the game ignoring the campaign mode?

Yes, you may want to just pick a monster and fight it playing a one shot hunt, and it's totally fine. The game includes many scenarios with quick predefined setup rules and suggested equipment to be used (as well as the rules for creating your own scenarios). Of course, even if you are not a campaign game fan, we strongly recommend to give the campaign mode a try ;)

How about the replayability of the campaign?

The campaign is fully replayable. Of course, after completing the 1st run you will have received spoilers about the main plot, but none of them actually compromise the game experience. There will be many quests you didn't play and many details about the lore to be discovered through multiple campaign runs. Also, the game is always playable in the "one-shot" hunt mode at different levels of difficulty.

Monsters variety is a key point for a game like this, how many monsters do you plan to include in the game?

Sure, we want the players to have the possibility to hunt a different monster almost every time they play in the campaign mode. We are going to include a dozen of distinct monster models in the core box (with some of them having alternative variants); plus, of course, the expansions.

How long does it take to complete the story?

A campaign is expected to last around 30 hours, but the length can change based on the number of players and their win rate.

How does the difficulty scale with the players level?

As the campaign progresses the monsters' aggression level goes up, which means the monsters become stronger. From a gameplay point of view, they upgrade both their stats and their own deck of behaviour cards.

What happens if you lose a fight with a monster? Does your character die?

If the group loses a fight with a monster, the characters don't die. Thematically it means they have to escape and return to the base. Then, based on the specific quest you are playing, there might be consequences for the failure (even permanent consequences in certain cases). In most cases, you also add Wound cards to your deck, which make you less efficient during the combat.

Does the campaign end if you lose too much?

Yes. You have a maximum number of failures after that the campaign is lost. So, if you lose too much the story will come to a premature end and you will have to restart the game with new characters.

How important is the narrative element in the game?

While the narrative element is not a predominant aspect of the game experience, the story reserves surprises and secrets to be discovered as you explore the lore of the game world. The campaign plot works as a solid background that enhances with the narrative and links together all the quests you play.

What's the impact of the players' choices on the campaign?

Your actions in the game will directly affect the campaign, with the story evolving as a consequence of the players successes/failures and the completion of the quests. An impactful choice outside the combat is the one regarding which quest to select every session. This affects the progress of the campaign through achievements and permanent story consequences that lead to unlock special scenarios and developments of side stories. Also, the quest you choose will determine the crafting options that you can unlock (since they depend on the monster you defeat).

GAMEPLAY

Does the combat make use of dice?

No, the combat system is diceless and it is completely based on card-driven mechanics.

How does hand-management work in the game?

Hand-management is a key mechanic of the combat system. During combat your hand of cards represents both your combat options and your 'stamina'. Every card you play from your hand has a stamina cost. So during your turn you have a variety of combat options in your hand and you can choose and play only a few of them, sacrificing the others to generate the necessary stamina.

What can you anticipate about the monster AI system?

An important thing is that each monster not only has its own unique deck of Behaviour cards, but it also has specific Objective cards and Peril cards that add a significant layer of strategy to the game. During combat you have multiple tasks: dealing damage, of course, but also 'controlling' the monster by completing Objective cards and by removing 'Struggle' tokens from the Peril cards in play or from the monster itself (the monster uses those tokens as a resource pool for its actions). Depending on the specific monster you are facing, the Peril cards can give the monster powerful abilities or upgrades that you may want to prevent. Thanks to the combination of Behaviour cards, Objective cards and Peril cards, each monster feels very different from the others and it represents a unique puzzle to be solved.

Is there a level up system for the hunters?

Yes, characters earn experience by completing quests. The experience allows them to unlock new cards to be added to their card pool. Your equipped weapon card will determine the deck-building rules you have to follow in order to construct your deck (how many cards of each specific type you can add to your deck).

What differentiates the characters in the game?

Each character has its own deck of cards (based on its weapon class) and it has access to a unique weapon list to be crafted. The playstyle is defined by the combination of deck and equipment; so, not only the playstyle will be different from character to character, but there will be a variety of possible styles within the same class.

How does the "settlement phase" work? What does the game offer other than combat?

The settlement phase in P:TA is called the Garrison phase. During that phase players have the chance to craft new gear from the Forge cards they have unlocked using the resources gathered from the hunt. Also, they can upgrade their character deck and they discuss which quest to choose next from those that are available in the Questboard.

How does crafting work in the game?

The crafting system is centered around the concept of Forge cards. Each category of monsters is related to a specific Forge card. When you defeat a monster you unlock its related Forge card that allows you to craft specific weapons, armor and other items, using the resources you gathered through the hunt.

How many different craftable items are there in the game?

You will find 150+ unique equipment cards in the game, only in the Core set.

Is there a weakness/resistance table for monsters?

Yep, each monster has specific weaknesses and resistances to a certain type of damage.

Is it 'soloable'?

Yes, you can play solo by controlling a minimum of 2 characters.

COMPONENTS