:Thea: The Awakening
{{Short description|2015 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| collapsible =
| state =
| italic title =
| title = Thea: The Awakening
| image = Thea The Awakening cover.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| developer = MuHa Games
| publisher = MuHa Games
| designer =
| programmer =
| artist =
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| series =
| engine = Unity{{cite web|url=http://muhagames.com/love-hate-relationship/|title=Love – hate relationship|work=MuHa Games|date=2015-12-14|accessdate=2022-03-30}}
| platforms = {{ubl|Microsoft Windows|PlayStation 4|Xbox One|Nintendo Switch}}
| released = {{Collapsible list|title={{Nobold|November 20, 2015}}|
{{plainlist|
- PC {{vgrelease|NA|November 20, 2015}}
- XB1, PS4 {{vgrelease|NA|May 31, 2017}}
- Switch {{vgrelease|NA|February 1, 2019}}
}}
}}| genre = Strategy
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
}}
Thea: The Awakening is a 2015 strategy video game developed and released by MuHa Games. It is based on Slavic folklore and includes minigames based on several different genres. It was followed by Thea 2: The Shattering.
Gameplay
Thea: The Awakening combines minigames from several different genres, including turn-based 4X games, role-playing video games, and digital collectible card games. Players take the role of a Slavic deity in fantasy world that is recovering from a magical apocalypse. After establishing a village, players send out characters to explore and collect resources, which can be used for crafting useful items.{{cite web|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/thea-the-awakening-review|title=Wot I Think - Thea: The Awakening|last=Zacny|first=Rob|work=Rock Paper Shotgun|date=2015-12-10|accessdate=2022-03-30}} Unlike traditional 4X games, players control only a single village and do not conquer others.{{cite web|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/4x-card-game|title=Have You Played... Thea: The Awakening?|last=Smith|first=Graham|work=Rock Paper Shotgun|date=2016-01-26|accessdate=2022-03-30}} Combat, quests, and random events are resolved using a card-based minigame. Characters gain experience points and loot from winning combat, and injured characters can die if they are not healed. Cooperative multiplayer was added in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/au/4x-survival-rpg-thea-the-awakening-adds-co-op/|title=4X survival RPG Thea: The Awakening adds co-op|last=Sykes|first=Tom|work=PC Gamer|date=2016-06-24|accessdate=2022-03-30}}
Development
Quest designer Mila "Yuuki" Irek cited author Andrzej Sapkowski and Warhammer 40,000 as her chief influences. The Witcher, a video game series based on Sapkowski's novels, had previously introduced Slavic folklore to international audiences, and Irek was interested in further exploration.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2019/01/on-thea-the-strategy-rpg-indie-gem-no-one-should-miss.html|title=On Thea: the strategy/RPG indie gem no one should miss|last=S.|first=Matt|work=Digitally Downloaded|date=2019-01-19|accessdate=2022-03-31}} The game's Slavic folklore comes mostly from research into the oral history of these myths by Polish academic Aleksander Brückner. Rather than the war between good and evil commonly found in Western folklore, these stories focus on individuals and are more morally ambiguous, which translates well into the choices presented to players in video games. Irek said she attempted to stay true to the folklore but had to change some details to fit the medium.{{cite web|url=https://www.alphr.com/games/1008348/video-games-witcher-3-slavic-folklore/|title=How video games like The Witcher are saving Slavic folklore|last=Allison|first=Peter Ray|work=Alphr|date=2018-01-30|accessdate=2022-03-31}} The PC version was released on November 30, 2015; the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions were released on May 31, 2017;{{cite web|url=http://muhagames.com/thea-the-awakening-out-on-consoles-on-may-31st/|title=Thea: The Awakening out on consoles on May 31st!|work=MuHa Games|date=2017-05-09|accessdate=2022-03-30}} and the Nintendo Switch version was released on February 1, 2019.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = PC: 73/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/thea-the-awakening/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Thea: The Awakening for PC Reviews|work=Metacritic|accessdate=2022-03-30}}
NS: 71/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/thea-the-awakening/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch|title=Thea: The Awakening for Switch Reviews|work=Metacritic|accessdate=2022-03-30}}
}}
On Metacritic, the PC and Switch versions received "mixed or average reviews". Rob Zacny wrote in his review for Rock Paper Shotgun that he was initially excited by the game's use of multiple genres, which avoided many cliches of strategy games. However, he later felt the game was "a large collection of small ideas" that excels at nothing, and the gameplay, which he said can be addictive, is ultimately unsatisfying. Mark Steighner of Hardcore Gamer rated the game 3.5/5 stars and wrote that it "starts off strong before collapsing under the weight of its systems".{{cite web|url=https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-thea-the-awakening/183624/|title=Review: Thea: The Awakening|last=Steighner|first=Mark|work=HardcoreGamer.com|date=2015-12-22|accessdate=2022-03-30}} While praising the Switch version of the game for having "some really great ideas", Nintendo Life critic Dom Reseigh-Lincoln said it focuses too much on busy work and micromanagement. Reseigh-Lincoln rated it 6/10 stars.{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/thea_the_awakening|title=Thea: The Awakening Review|last=Reseigh-Lincoln|first=Dom|work=Nintendo Life|date=2019-02-02|accessdate=2022-03-30}} Greg Delmage of RPGFan praised the Switch version's "incredibly addictive gameplay" and rated it 85/100.{{cite web|url=https://www.rpgfan.com/review/thea-the-awakening/|title=Thea: The Awakening|last=Delmage|first=Greg|work=RPGFan.com|date=2020-02-05|accessdate=2022-03-30}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://muhagames.com/projects/the-awakening/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thea 1 The Awakening}}
Category:Role-playing video games
Category:Turn-based strategy video games
Category:Digital collectible card games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Cooperative video games
Category:Nintendo Switch games
Category:Video games based on Slavic mythology