The word “Vranygrai” is an old Slavic word that means “the cry of the crows.” Many superstitious people believe the cry of a crow to predict bad events; this is the very basic premise of the game. It’s set in real-world locations prior to the creation of Greata Moravia. It’s not about saving the world: it’s about saving yourself.
The protagonist’s story is surrounded by the real historic events leading up to the creation of the first Slavic state in Central Europe – Great Moravia. Avar Khaganate has fallen, and Nitra and Moravia are clashing. The player takes on the role of a Slavic priest (known as Volkhv in the old Slavic language). The priests loses his sister after an attack bu the remaining Avar army. He feels like a failure, both as a brother and a protector, so he ventures forth on a journey of redemption, of finding answers and culprits. Despite the outside attack, maybe he is to blame…
In the Vranygrai announcement trailer, the developer tries to capture the atmosphere, the world, and a bit of the gameplay:
Vranygrai is designed as a trilogy that maps out the entire state, but this first part focuses on the Polana area. Players will visit the Kalamarka fort, Zvolen, and the surrounding abandoned estates. The story is inspired by multiple sources, from archaeological to fiction, from superstitions to fairy tales. Some characters in the game will be known to those from the area now, including a waterman name Polednica and an imp name Domovik.
The game is relative small (no 100+ hours here, not that that’s a bad thing) with a compact semi-open world. There is no hand holding, the player is basically on their own to discover hidden characters and rare rewards. Characters, animals, and mythological creatures have different behaviour during the day and night. There are loads of different enemies, including fallen Avars. The game is partially inspired by 2001’s Gothic, but its combat system is inspired by more modern games. There is a rich arsenal of historical weapons and armour. The skill system is based on mythology, giving the Slavic priest access to unique spells.
Developed by Dire Badger Studio, Vranygrai is currently in development for PC. The game is now available to be wishlisted on Steam.
