Equinox: Homecoming Preview - An Island of Mysteries

There’s two things in video games that I really love - using a bow and riding a horse. I can’t explain it. It’s probably because I’d never do either of those things in real life. Yes, I know that these are both totally doable activities and I have no reason to never try them, but we’re digressing from the point here. 

Equinox: Homecoming is an upcoming multiplayer RPG based on the idyllic Alderwood Island. In the game, your mother has gone missing without a trace and you’ve returned to the island to investigate. I had the privilege of being able to jump into an early build of the game provided by the brilliant developer Blue Scarab Entertainment and was impressed by the small bit that I played. 

Much of what I’ve played so far is likely different from the Early Access build which is available right now on Steam, but in the hour that I played I was introduced to a good chunk of the island. After you customize your character and your horse, you’ll pick up that horse from your friend. After that, you’ll have to head back to your old home, which is a large barn with an apartment on the upper floor. The trek back is a long one, but it was a great way for me to see the gorgeous setting of the game. 

As a super early build, some of the animations for the characters are a bit awkward, as to be expected with a work-in-progress, but the setting here is stunning. I was able to explore a bit of the wilderness, see some beautiful bodies of water and check out downtown which has a variety of shops to explore. I met a few different characters including Heather who is a huge jerk, but I’m determined to make her love me and some of the shopkeepers around town. Everyone knows who you are and what’s happened to your mother and they wish you luck with trying to find your answers about her disappearance. 

One cutscene offers players a few answers as to what happened just before you left the island. It seems like your mother knew about something sinister going on in Alderwood and tried to prepare you for it your entire life. Finally fed up with this lifestyle, you decide to leave to try and live a normal life. Now that your mother has disappeared, you can find only traces of what she left behind including some bloody bandages and a hidden board with newspaper clippings and photos. That’s the only glimpse towards the mysterious story that Equinox is hiding, that I was able to experience in my short time with the game, but I can’t wait to see how things build.  

Equinox: Homecoming feels like the perfect cozy mmorpg for players to jump into with their friends and enjoy riding around the beautiful Alderwood Island. But, with a spooky occult twist that’s perfect for those that love a good mystery. The game is available right in Early Access and I can’t wait to dive in myself and see what other secrets are hidden in the trees. 

Equinox: Homecoming is available now in Early Access on Steam.