Fear Effect Sedna

New Fear Effect announced

A new Fear Effect game is set to take to Kickstarter - with Square Enix's blessing.

But this new Fear Effect won't be a big budget affair - as Fear Effect on PSone was. Instead, it'll be an indie game from a little-known studio that's using crowdfunding to raise development cash.

French studio Sushee worked with Square Enix's The Collective two years ago on adventure game Goetia. After the publisher signalled it was open to pitches for new games set in its back catalogue of dormant franchises, it worked on a Fear Effect prototype heavily influenced by Shadowrun Returns. Square Enix liked the pitch and gave the thumbs up to a Kickstarter for Fear Effect Sedna, which is set to launch Tuesday, 12th April.

Sushee founder Benjamin Anseaume told Eurogamer Fear Effect fans should expect a very different game than the Kronos-developed, Eidos-published
originals that appeared on the PSone.

"So players have to expect major changes both in terms of the gameplay and the visuals. We are a small team of 10 people. We are not Kronos. Weare an indie team. We want to make something that respects the series, but it's not going to be Fear Effect 3. It's going to be a new Fear Effect with new gameplay."

Sushee was inspired by Harebrained Schemes' superb turn-based tactical role-playing game Shadowrun Returns when designing the gameplay for the new Fear Effect. An isometric camera perspective will let the player control up to five characters at the same time, with a focus on strategywhen it comes to the combat. The idea is the characters work together, combining their attacks and defensive actions for maximum effect.

As for the story, Sushee's Fear Effect is not a reboot. Rather, it is a sequel to the second and unreleased third game. The story for Fear Effect 3 was almost completed before the game was cancelled, and Square Enix granted Sushee access to it as well as an old prototype.

Fear Effect's four main characters: Hana, Rain Qin, Royce Glas and Jacob "Deke" DeCourt, will all appear in the new Fear Effect, alongside new characters Sushee has developed. The story takes place four years after Fear Effect 3, which would have seen Hana return from hell after dying. At the end of the unreleased Fear Effect 3, Hana is free from her Triad overlords. So in this new Fear Effect, she works as a mercenary.

If the Kickstarter, which targets €100,000, is successful, Sushee hopes the new Fear Effect will launch on PC mid 2017. Console versions are a stretch goal.