The Next World Is A Sci-Fi “Strategic Visual Novel,” Coming Soon

You could say that a lot of visual novels are “strategic” in that you have to work out how to converse with people to butter them up. But indie studio Illuminated Games is a little more traditional with its idea of a “strategic visual novel” in The Next World.

It tells the story of the survivors of a crashed colony ship as they try to start life over on the wrong planet. You can play as one of two possible protagonists (“each with their own quirks and methods”) and must take charge of your stranded group.

While there are visual novel-style conversations to have with the other characters in The Next World, it also tasks you with making decisions normally associated with strategy games: building colony structures, salvaging wreckage, and managing your colony’s dwindling supplies.

The conversations aren’t mere fluff, though. They’ll have you interacting with the story, which spans political intrigue, sabotage, and desperation. Plus, it’s written by Ryan A. Span, who has previously written for FRONTIERS, Mount&Blade, and Euclidean.

The Next World will be available to purchase on Steam soon so keep an eye out for it.