TidalForgedPress Kit
The Sea’s Verdict
The Sea’s Verdict is a hack-and-slash ARPG set in the cursed, pirate-inspired Hallowed Realm. Play solo or co-op as a soul bound to Davy Jones, battling through a mythological seascape to earn your freedom.
The Sea’s Verdict offers a core campaign with 3 acts, an end-game system, open-ended character customization, a range of side quests and content, and several game modes including hardcore permadeath and no-powers modes for added replayability.
Gameplay basics
The Sea’s Verdict features two core archetypes built into one: melee and ranged, each with distinct playstyle and visual identity. Players shape their own character and focus on the style of gameplay they want to engage with, choosing from different weapon types and archetype paths to become the pirate they want to be. Players also gain soul fragments from enemies to unlock thematic soul abilities through a bargain-powers system in servitude to Davy Jones. The world, enemies, and creatures are thematic and visually rich, ranging from regular mobs to rare enemies and bosses across the campaign, with scaling difficulty and additional mechanics.
Character progression
Players can progress through multiple systems including the skills atlas, soul abilities, and gear. The core campaign leads into end-game progression, while traditional ARPG pathways such as gear, items, weapons, skill gems, and the soul-ability tree provide deep build customization and long-term progression.
Gear and loot
Gear and loot follow a traditional ARPG feel, with normal, magic, and legendary items that can roll modifiers. The Sea’s Verdict also features Barnacles: usable sockets attached to equipment for additional bonuses. Barnacle sockets are made from barnacle bits and are found by killing enemies, looting chests, completing quests, and interacting with NPCs. Equipment tiers include Acolyte, Disciple, Herald, Keeper, and Warden, with higher tiers requiring higher core stats.
The endgame
The Sea’s Verdict features an end-game island-hopping map system where players journey across a dangerous archipelago, battling powerful enemies and bosses while earning valuable loot and gold. Each map introduces increasingly difficult monsters, including rare enemies and challenging bosses, all tied into a deep Paragon progression system designed to continually strengthen your character. How far into the archipelago will you dare to venture?
Cooperative content
The Sea’s Verdict is fully cooperative, with an emote wheel, trade, and chat functionality to support teaming up with a friend and taking on the Hallowed Realm together.
The future of The Sea’s Verdict and TidalForged Studios
TidalForged Studios is a small but ambitious indie team based in Dunedin, New Zealand. We’re building an action RPG designed for fans of the hack-and-slash genre, with a strong focus on community engagement throughout development. Join our crew on Discord, visit our website for updates, and sign up to playtest and share feedback as we continue this journey together.
See you all in the Hallowed Realm!
— TidalForged Studios