Abandon Ship is a title we've talked about a couple of times at GameZone. It's an indie title that's one part FTL and one part Sid Meier's Pirates. Somewhere in the mix, it's also its own beast of new and creative features.
Developer Fireblade Software has released a number of videos showing off different features of their game. Their announcement trailer showed a bird's eye view of the game (pun intended, as it's top-down). Later they released a combat video, showcasing just how ship-to-ship combat takes place, which is where the FTL comparison really shines.
Today, they've released a video showing the exploration of the game. A zoomed out view shows a mighty ship floating through the vast oceans. They discuss different types of maps, which can be uncharted (mostly uninhabited), populated (more ports), and forsaken (more dangerous environments) to name a few. Take a look below:
Different maps, biomes and even time of day can change how battles and events take place. They even mention that quests completely unrelated to the main campaign can be undertaken, leading us to believe it's an even bigger open world. Interestingly, they announced that losing your ship to the sea isn't necessarily the end of your journey. Making it to an escape boat with your remaining crew is a desperate cling to survival, but it's possible to make it out alive and sail once again to the open sea.
Abandon Ship is set to release in 2017, but no specific date has been announced.