Utilises binaural audio and haptic feedback.

Indie studio Falling Squirrel has announced its debut game, The Vale, will be released for Windows this August.

The Vale is an audio-focused, narrative-driven adventure game that relies less on visual graphics and more on binaural audio and haptic controller feedback to tell its story to gamers both sighted and visually impaired.

The game won the National Bank Special Prize at the 2018 Ubisoft Indie Series, netting Falling Squirrel $25,000 (CAD), “mentorship by Ubisoft experts to help with development,” as well as personalised “financial diagnosis and counsel provided by National Bank experts.”

Set in medieval times, players take on the role of a blind character who is second to the throne as they are exiled from the kingdom while the elder brother takes on the crown.

While exploring over 20 locales journeying to the borderlands, players will advance their skills and magic abilities as well as engaging in typical role-playing game elements such as combat, looting, gathering, and crafting.

The Vale has branching narratives which will be affected by the choices players make.

In the announcement trailer, you can hear some of the game’s story sections as conversations between the protagonist, their uncle, and a mysterious woman play out.