Like a plague doctor gently administering another handful of leeches, Ice Pick Lodge shared a little more about the recently announced Pathologic 3, explaining how they’ve made plans for the iconic series that has been fighting the epidemic since the release of Pathologic 2.
As Brenda recalled in our info post, Pathologic 2 was actually a remake of the original Pathologic. Like the 2005 game, it was to feature three very different playable characters – Haruspex, the Bachelor and the Changeling – who were tasked with saving a filthy town of slaughterhouse workers from a vicious infection.
Haruspex appeared at launch in 2019, and the other two characters were scheduled to appear as DLC expansions, but as Ice Pick explain on the Steam pagethis proved impractical as development of the Haruspex route took longer than expected. In this way, The Bachelor becomes the heart of its own game. Does the same apply to a Changeling who can heal or kill with a touch? It’s still a little unclear, but that’s the hope, yes.
“The game simply grew beyond our DLC concept,” wrote Ice Pick on Steam. “It will have different gameplay and completely recent features. Instead of one game with three playthroughs, using the same gameplay but different stories (as in the original 2005 release and the Classic HD remaster), we are creating three fully developed games with distinct gameplay and significant differences in narrative.
“Now they are truly three separate heroes with unique worldviews, perceptions of reality, and different tools,” they continue. “From a gameplay perspective, this means three different approaches and a complete rethinking of the original scenarios.”
As for Changeling’s route, it seems that she is expected to be the protagonist of Pathologic 4, but the developers don’t want to overdo it. “We understand that premature promises regarding the previous Pathologic led to unfulfilled expectations,” they write. “We apologize for this and do not want to mislead you in the future. A developer should not be an unreliable narrator – unlike his characters.”
The post also discusses a few differences between The Bachelor and Haruspex that may be familiar to those who played the 2005 game. “Haruspex had to survive, fight, forage, rummage through garbage for scraps of bread, and try to save those he loved along the way,” the creators write. “A bachelor is a man endowed with intellect. Survival is not his primary concern; his goals go beyond what one life can contain. He must think, formulate theories, and gather evidence. Ultimately, he must give orders and observe the results. This distinction will be emphasized through gameplay, mechanics, objectives, soundtrack, and so on.”
As you might expect, people who helped fund the development of Pathologic 2 as originally envisioned for the three-protagonist game will receive keys for Pathologic 3. Specifically, they will send free keys to “backers on Kickstarter and other platforms where support for the game can be was received at the collection stage” along with “Supporters from 2014 and 2015”. Persons entitled to two copies will receive two keys.
The game will “probably” be available on the same platforms as its predecessor, with the console release following the PC version. More details can be expected closer to the 2025 launch.
