On the official web site, the game is described as:
"Action-adventure, multiple-character branching narrative game set in the High Republic era."
And they continue on with:
"See the galaxy through the eyes of an ensemble cast of multiple, charismatic playable characters, each with their own morality, personality, motivations, and impact upon each other and the story at large."
They're really pushing on that specific point. That it's a branching narrative, you (whichever character you play as) make choices, they have consequences and it all results in different outcomes.
So given the fact that the developers (Quantic Dream) made Detroit: Become Human (their latest anyway) and considering that game was pretty much what they're describing for Star Wars: Eclipse, then I wouldn't be surprised at all if it ended up being pretty much Star Wars: Detroit, Become Eclipse lol... or whichever way you'd want to put it. The gist is, the last time we heard about playing different characters (or playable character "paths") with a complex narrative, "branching" choices, consequences with different outcomes... it was for Cyberpunk 2077 and we all got burnt to the 3rd degree on that one.
But...
If they approach the developement with a methodology that would make it actually possible to do (creating a game with multiple PLAYABLE characters, each with their own personality, morality background story; whom all make choices that somehow 'branch in and out' of themselves at some point in the game with actual consequences with multiple outcomes) then that means NON open-world for a start. Because you need to be focused and not distracted by the bazillion things and details that they'd also have to work on otherwise if their game would be a massive open world environment. So, the "Planets" in the game will most likely be fairly large but "contained" maps with scripted events for a very story-driven narrative, with bare bones exploration (that's fine, mind you, if the narrative is very well done and the "illusion" / map design allows us to be fully immersed).
Beyond that, I think that the game will actually PLAY pretty much like Detroit as well. A lot of QTEs, on-screen directions and interactive buttons / clear GUI indications as to what can be interacted with and how, with timers where applicable (places where you'd have to react quickly for example, maybe similarly to the Paragon / Renegade flash QT interruptions in Mass Effect games). I highly, HIGHLY doubt that Eclipse will be a "full fledged" fully controllable character type of gameplay style in the veins of KOTOR. In fact I just highly doubt that it will be anywhere close to a full 3rd person Action Adventure sort of game.
I really just picture Eclipse as an interactive Star Wars mini movie, like Detroit, but perhaps with some slightly better character control (maybe, that's a BIG maybe), maybe with slightly bigger environments... but generally-speaking - at least for now - given that they're being rather ambitious with multiple characters and a branching story with consequences then yes I'd say don't expect anything beyond a kind of "On-Rails" story-driven QTEs / dialogue-options-choices based narrative that automatically brings you to the next chapter for story progression.
However...
It doesn't mean it'll be "bad", by any means. I actually DID like Detroit: Become Human, it was a pretty good "game". And I air quote "game" here because it was more of an interactive movie than anything else. But it was a VERY good one, for sure. I don't mind that at all for Star Wars to be honest, I'm actually genuinely curious. But I hope people will think about this with logic. Making a non QTE type game the way they're describing Eclipse would be technically possible but it would take them 5+ years to make it (especially if it was Open World on top of that). I just don't see that developer doing that at all, they have no experience in that regard. I actually hope that they stick to what they know and what they're familiar with, making a Star Wars game with the Detroit mold, don't change the recipe too much, and don't reinvent the wheel if it works.
Facebook
Twitter