“Jerian” and “Brante”: Differences in Game Themes

We’ve already written and talked a lot about what to expect from the new game, so let’s take a closer look and answer the main question: how will The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian differ from The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante?

This is quite an interesting topic, because we consciously chose to preserve some elements from our first game, while deliberately changing others, moving forward and developing the ideas we discovered in the original project. That’s exactly what we’d like to discuss today.

We will divide our answer into three parts: differences in themes, differences in key stories and narratives, and differences in gameplay structure. We’ll do our best to avoid spoilers and focus not on specific plot points, but on the systemic decisions that set our second game apart from the first.

All the specific twists and turns of Prince Jerian’s life will remain undisclosed, and you’ll be able to experience them for yourself when the full game is released.

So, let’s begin!

Steam post image The Pursuit of Greatness vs. The Search for Meaning

The central theme of Sir Brante’s life, no matter which path he followed, was the struggle for the ability to influence his own fate on the scale of the country, his family, and his personal life.

A boy from a remote province could rise to become a shaper of destinies, a figure on par with the wheel of history itself. But whatever fate Brante chose, his trajectory always moved from powerlessness to power, from obscurity to fame, from insignificance to authority. The only question was the price he would pay, and which side he would take.

Jerian will live a very different life. He does not need to fight for power or influence. Yet the full weight of the Empire rests on his shoulders. This vast entity, this Leviathan, can crush him, consume him, erase his identity, and reduce his “self” to a faceless bureaucratic function.

That is why the challenge Jerian faces is entirely different: he is not fighting for power—he is fighting to preserve himself and to find his own meaning in life.

Steam post image The Powerlessness of the Powerful

Prince Jerian stands at the very heart of imperial politics. He is a Tempest and the future heir to the throne. The fate of the entire world depends on which faction he chooses to support. And, of course, one might expect such a hero to be nearly omnipotent.

While Sir Brante was constantly forced to compromise, obey those above him, and struggle for scraps of influence, the prince clearly occupies a very different position. Here, he is the power.

But our goal was to uncover weakness, vulnerability, and powerlessness in this new protagonist. Yes, in the moment, Jerian can overcome almost any challenge and obtain what he desires. But what will the consequences be?

And that very question binds his hands. Great power brings great responsibility. The power concentrated in the Throne spreads through a thousand threads—across officials and courtiers, noble lords and unseen agents—turning the ruler into a hostage of the system, the state, religion, and culture.

Will Prince Jerian be able to change anything truly important and to use his power while bound by these threads? This question lies at the core of our new game.

Steam post image The Two Bodies of the Ruler

No matter how weak or powerless Sir Brante might have been, inwardly he was always free. He could choose his faith, his beliefs, his values that he was willing to live and die for.

Prince Jerian is a different case. He is not just a man. From his very first breath, he is bound to the Blood Tide and to his Empire. He may shape his country and determine its future, but gradually, imperceptibly, the country and its legacy will shape him in return, molding his character and demanding that he conform to it.

Like any ruler, Jerian possesses “two bodies”: a physical one and a political one. He is inseparably linked to his state, his inner life echoes through the Empire, while the Empire itself seeks to shape him into its own image.

In this sense, Prince Jerian might even envy the inner freedom that Sir Brante possessed.

This concludes the discussion of thematic differences. In the next post, we will begin exploring the differences in stories and narrative.

We’d also like to remind you that our Kickstarter campaign is currently live. If you haven’t checked it out yet, we’d love to invite you to take a look!