Team 21 Studio is an indie studio run by three brothers. In 2016 they started working on the game which would eventually be known as Ilysia. Today Ilysia has over 1,500 backers on Kickstarter and almost $160,000 pledged towards its development.
As of January 2021 Ilysia, has finally been released for alpha testing. The game supports standing, sitting, and room scale play options and combat, including spellcasting, can be accomplished via hand gestures or button pressing. Perhaps one of the most exciting features of the game is the ability to play however you want through customization. Ilysia allows you to not only adventure, but to play as an innkeeper, merchant, or tailor. Humans, elves and dwarves are among the currently available starting races.
While the brothers heading the project are relatively new to game development, they are supported by a strong team of veterans. The team includes two artists known for their work on the hit Ratchet & Clank series, as well as a senior software engineer Joe Strout.
The project is a massive undertaking but reports from alpha testers remain overwhelmingly positive. Numerous alpha and pre-alpha testers have reported that the game looks gorgeous and runs smoothly, even on the Oculus Quest. One player described the game as having “a classic fantasy-era feel, with a dose of WoW nostalgia.”
Still, knowing the disappointing history of Kickstarter games, its understandable why some gamers might remain skeptical. The promise of true immersion in a VR MMORPG is almost too good to be true, but Team 21 Studio has a lot of support behind them to make it happen.
Ilysia is expected to be released Q4, 2021 on PCVR and Oculus Quest.
Source: Ilysia Kickstarter