Massive Chalice Early Concept

Since its formation in 2000, ex-LucasArts veteran developer Tim Schafer and his indie game studio Double Fine have captivated countless players with cult hits like Psychonauts, and more recently have opened incredible possibilities for crowd funding independent game production. Last year, the small group shattered Kickstarter records by raising over $1 million in a single day.

Acquiring over $3.45 million in total for the game idea no major publisher would touch set a precedent for the gaming industry, and Double Fine was able to use this funding to develop Broken Age, a 2D point-and-click adventure title. This summer, the critically-acclaimed team is at it again, and their second Kickstarter campaign has already met its $725,000 goal. The project? A tactical strategy game called Massive Chalice.

Double Fine's latest project is as ambitious as any other, turning to the unexplored territory of tactical strategy. Before now, their tower defense game Iron Brigade was the closest thing Double Fine has made to the genre, released in 2011 on Xbox Live Arcade and Windows PC. For the next year or so however, a dedicated team within Double Fine is working on Massive Chalice, which the studio says is inspired by the likes of XCOM and Final Fantasy Tactics.

The game itself will see players in control of a kingdom they can manipulate Game of Thrones-style by overseeing various families and heroes, arranging marriages therein, and numerous features that have yet to be announced in greater detail. The combat side of the game is turn-based, pitting the player against various enemies over time. No real kingdom is without its heroes however, and while individual characters within the kingdom may die, the player takes on the role as an immortal King or Queen tasked with driving off demonic forces and reclaiming a timeless and powerful artifact.

While not as record-breaking as their previous Kickstarter campaign, Double Fine's second endeavor has already reached its goal, with over three weeks to spare. There has been no official word on the kinds of stretch goals available, but the developer has promised more funding will equal more opportunity for the game to grow.

Are you one of the 20,000 supporters (so far) of Double Fine's upcoming turn-based strategy game? What kinds of features would you like to see included in the game when it releases next fall?

Massive Chalice is currently in development by Double Fine, independent game studio responsible for PsychonautsBrutal Legendand The Cave. The turn-based strategy title is expected to be released in September 2014 for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Want to support independent gaming? Check out the Massive Chalice Kickstarter campaign!

Follow me on Twitter @superkyol.