Rune sequel to have evolved combat, tactical options

Human Head expects its upcoming Rune sequel to build on the original game's "twitch" melee combat.

"Rune will still be a third person action game with a lot of melee combat. The combat system is evolving, though," Human Head co-founder Ted Halsted told Neogamr.

"If Rune was third-person melee to Quake's first-person shooter in that it was more 'twitch,' the next Rune will be closer to modern shooters in that it will have fast action but many more tactical options."

The game's original story will carry on, but will shift into a higher gear.

"Ragnar will be at the center of the story. What makes him special this time around is quite different, however," Halsted said.

"Also, the world of Rune has become a lot more savage. Ragnarok - the Viking End of Days - has come, and with it, the Fimbulwinter."

It sounds pretty sweet but Human Head had a hell of a time trying to sell it to anyone.

"I can't name the companies involved, but in the early-to-mid 00's we were at contract terms with a publisher for Rune 2," the developer revealed.

"At that moment, that publisher was swallowed by another publisher. Our producer's new boss took one look and pronounced anything to do with swords and/or sorcery a 'dead and buried genre' and terminated the deal."

Now, Human head is all too aware it can turn to its fans for support.

"We certainly wouldn't rule out Kickstarter. As a developer, we're pleased that there's a wide variety of funding methods for modern projects, from Kickstarter to investors to the traditional publisher model," Halsted hazarded.

Human Head made its Rune sequel plans public earlier this month; the developer's efforts with Prey 2 are said to be floundering slightly.

Image from the original Rune, released in 2000.