Too busy for a two-hour dungeon play-through? Would you rather game alone for 30 minutes and still have an exciting MMORPG experience? If so, the creators of Hollowed Oath are developing a game for you. Team members of God Mode Games—Dominic Bozzo (sound and music), Daniel Ball (content creator), Alex Taylor (lead developer), Rachael Conniff (head writer), and Brandon Highbaugh (quests and lore)—shared their vision for the game at the panel “Hollowed Oath” on Sunday at 4PM in Westin Augusta E-H. Although still in the alpha stage, the art, music, and mechanics echo a classic experience that will resonate with seasoned gamers and capture the imaginations of those new to the genre.  

The overall plot of Hollowed Oath, Ball explained, is that in the world of Orrathis, the gods have vanished, and an unknown force called the Hollow is corrupting its lands and creatures.  The player, one of the Oathbound heroes, must discover what has happened and why­—and face the twisted beings called Remnants created by the enigmatic Hollow. 

A video clip of the world and lands followed. The scenery the designers have created so far is visually stunning. Falling stars streak a night sky. Cumulus clouds tower above as if to remind the player of powers far greater than their own. Waterfalls cascade from cliffs. Spikes of ice pierce desolate lands of cold and snow. Dark fields of flowers cower beneath black skeletons of enormous dead trees.  

The art is captivating if not quite as detailed as some recent offerings produce. And that, Ball explained, is on purpose. They want this game to be accessible, or as he put it, playable “on a potato.” No need to buy a new rig or the latest (and ridiculously expensive) video card. They’re using Unreal Engine 5, but they’ve trimmed it down a lot. The game can even be played on an i3 laptop and a Steam Deck.  

The story, Conniff said, is rich in lore. The writers began with the deities that influence the world. The 10 regions have their own histories, Great Houses, and conflicts. Each hero, whether anti or classic, will address the Hollow in different ways, which can set the player on an alternate path. Highbaugh said they’ve taken the time to craft dreams and fears for every character. Helping an npc can open more information or quests. If you explore and dig deeper, Bozzo noted, you’ll get more. Highbaugh added that if you make different choices while completing a quest—interact differently, ask different questions—you’ll get a different result. They’ve written alternate paths into the game.      

The creators have focused on making Hollowed Oath a game for busy adults who don’t have as much free time as they once did. You can play for 30 minutes instead of having to spend hours at a time to progress. Playing alone will give the same overall experience as playing in a group—the latter simply scales up the difficulty. All loot is personal—you roll for yourself, even if you’re in a group.  

The game is designed to be highly replayable, too. Some earned attributes will be tied to the actual player rather than their avatar and will be retained when switching to a new one. Also, how you choose to interact with npcs and to complete quests will change the in-game experience.  

You’ll be able to choose up to three classes, Taylor explained, so you can develop in different ways with nonlinear character progression. There are 560 combinations from 16 classes. And the map is seven times bigger than Skyrim’s. They didn’t go for photo-realism to keep it fast. They’re also working on controller support, he added. 

Speaking of Skyrim, the music created by Bozzo echoes the same gorgeous style. Both the music and the art, he said, are influenced by the lore. The piece played during the panel was a lyrical arrangement featuring flute and cello, expertly designed to welcome the player into the expansive world of Orrathis. Here’s hoping the rest of the music will be this good. 

The game will be free to play, monetized through cosmetics and things that will make life easier. There will be no artificial gates, Bozzo said. There will be a fast-travel system, crafting, weapon add-ons to get unique effects, a wide range of enemies, and dominant races that clash in each land (you can pick sides). There’ll be some massive bosses, too. And one of the best perks is that you can get the same overall gameplay on your own.  

Find out more about Hollowed Oath at https://hollowedoath.com.