Windrose is described as a PvE (Player vs. Environment) survival adventure set in an alternate era of piracy. The title makes use of three classic mechanics: building, crafting and surviving, to which it adds combat and exploration both on land and by sea. As a pirate, players must make their way through procedurally generated biomes, which hide dungeons, quests and mysteries. As the adventure progresses, it will be possible to recruit a crew and participate in naval combat with boarding aboard a ship. The development team promises «seamless transitions between your ship and the shore,» as well as the presence of historical figures.
The Early Access version of Windrose includes three biomes, with their own main and side quests, crafting recipes, enemies, and bosses. These three scenarios are spread across around 30 procedurally generated islands, with more than 90 hand-created points of interest. There are also three ships, naval combat with boarding, a full building system, character progression, crafting and upgrade system, combinations of armor, weapons and equipment, factions with their respective missions, the city of Tortuga and a basic reputation system and NPC workers.
The development team claims that the full version of Windrose will include 50% more content (biomes, bosses, enemies, ships, loot…). Completing the main story when it becomes available «can take between 50 and 70 hours, although this can vary depending on play style,» says Windrose Crew. During early access the studio also wants to explore new game systems. Anyone interested in the game should know that the price will increase when the full version is available.