Eden Rising bills itself as an “open world action tower defense game.” I’m not sure what that means, but if you’re interested and don’t feel like plunking down $30 for it, developer Nvizzio has decided to offer a free-to-play version as well — one that will put both audiences together.
The paid version is called the Ascendant Edition, and those going the free-to-play route will be playing the Explorer Edition. It launches out of Steam Early Access on May 17 on PC.
In addition to selling the Ascendant Edition, Nvizzio is also offer DLC, which producer Alison Seffels said the studio will make available to all those who have bought the Early Access version of Eden Rising.
Why did Nvizzio add a free-to-play option? It reminds me of when someone got the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set and then started teaching their friends how to play.
“We at Nvizzio really wanted to offer something interesting for Eden Rising. Since at its heart the game is meant for friends to play together, we felt a free-to-play edition would give players more opportunity to try it out,” Seffels said. “Since the editions are completely compatible, one friend could buy the game and everyone else could enjoy the additional content.”
Eden Rising’s open world tower defense works like this, Seffels explained:
“We’ve taken the best of both worlds here. Players can enjoy exploring and discovering the world of Eden, while battling monsters and gathering materials for gear and defenses. The gear and defenses are used both in the wild and at bases scattered throughout the world. Discover and defend each base to gain access to new powers, which lets you explore new areas.”