The French video game studio Digixart are making waves with their upcoming adventure game Tides of Tomorrow, which takes place in a polluted dystopian world following a catastrophic flood. Known for their originality and thought-provoking games like Road 96, Digixart is building on their success with what looks to be the next shining gem from the world of indie games.
Video games that make the player reflect on important issues like mental health, loss and grief, or politics and global affairs, aren’t all that common, but that’s the sort of storytelling that Digixart does best, and the premise of Tides of Tomorrow will really make you think.
My first impression when I saw this game was that it looked like a mash-up of Sea of Thieves and Baldur’s Gate 3 in the best way possible, and while that seems accurate in some regards, I’ve come to realize that Tides of Tomorrow isn’t going to just be an exhilarating choice-driven survival journey with intriguing new multiplayer elements – it will also be a stark reminder about real-world environmental issues.
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You won’t see me for a week after Terraria updates.
The water is filled with garbage, a strange disease runs rampant, vicious thugs and factions control trade and medicine, and suddenly I’m not sure if I’m talking about Tides of Tomorrow or the earth as we know it today.
I think there’s an immense amount of heart going into this game; it’s full of personality and substance, and the asynchronous multiplayer system will undoubtedly make for a wild-ride filled with mischief among friends.
From NPCs, to combat, currency, and multiplayer, I was dying to know more. Fortunately, I had the honor of interviewing Producer Kevin Bard to dive deeper into the details of Tides of Tomorrow.
Tides Of Tomorrow: Your Decisions Will Cause A Ripple Effect
Q: How would you summarize the story and the essence of the game, and what are you most excited about?
A: Tides of Tomorrow is set in a world that’s been almost entirely submerged after a cataclysmic flood. You play as a Tidewalker—someone who wakes up in the middle of the ocean with no memory of who they are, but with a mysterious connection to the world before the disaster. People believe you come from the “Old World,” and that makes you both feared and revered.
What makes you truly unique is your ability to see echoes of choices made by other Tidewalkers before you. This creates a fascinating narrative layer where your decisions are influenced not just by your own path, but by the actions of other players as well.
At its heart, it asks a powerful question: What do we leave behind for others?
The world is suffering from a strange disease called Plastemia, and your journey might hold the key to a cure. Along the way, you’ll meet a wide range of characters and factions: ruthless marauders who control medicine and trade, everyday survivors known as Reclaimers, and the Mystics—a mysterious group who worship the past.
The story explores themes like survival, climate collapse, legacy, and the search for truth. At its heart, it asks a powerful question: What do we leave behind for others?
What excites us most is the asynchronous multiplayer storytelling. It’s something we’ve really pushed with Tides of Tomorrow—a narrative that evolves not just based on your own choices, but also on the decisions of other players. It’s a fresh take, and we can’t wait to see how players react to it!
Q: What were the inspirations for Tides of Tomorrow?
A: The idea for Tides of Tomorrow actually started while we were working on Road 96. At the end of each run, players could leave money behind for their next character—and that sparked a thought: what if you could leave something behind not just for yourself, but for other players?
That’s when we started exploring games with asynchronous mechanics. One of our main inspirations was the Souls series, especially the way players can leave behind messages or appear as ghosts in each other’s worlds. Death Stranding also had a big influence, with its system of shared structures that subtly connect players. And we were really intrigued by Phantom Abyss, which takes a more arcade-style approach but shows multiple ghost runs at once—creating a strong sense of shared presence.
All of these games helped us imagine new ways to tell a story that feels personal, yet connected to a wider community. That’s the spirit we wanted to capture in Tides of Tomorrow.
Q: How has the concept for Tides of Tomorrow evolved and come to life? Has the vision for the game changed at all from what you originally thought it would be?
A: From the very beginning, we knew we wanted to explore a new kind of narrative experience—something that felt like a multiplayer story, but without the pressure of being online at the same time. That idea led to a lot of iteration. It’s one of the most ambitious parts of the game, and naturally, one of the most challenging.
We started with a purely text-based prototype, just to test whether we could create meaningful narrative branches based on the choices of previous players. Once that worked, we built the first version of the map, which gave players a sense of presence—but it still felt too abstract. So we added ghost animations, then layered in more asynchronous feedback, and gradually introduced gameplay elements that reflected the actions of others.
Playtest after playtest, we refined the formula until players could really feel the presence of others in their world. One of our favorite moments was when a playtester recognized a friend’s behavior just by the way their ghost moved. That’s when we knew we were onto something special.
Q: One of the things fans are most excited about is the asynchronous multiplayer element of Tides of Tomorrow; can you explain this feature?
A: The asynchronous multiplayer system in Tides of Tomorrow is one of the most unique aspects of the game. Here’s how it works: every player’s choices are recorded, and when you start your own journey, you can choose to follow someone else—a friend, a streamer, or even a random player. You’ll walk in their footsteps, experiencing the consequences of their decisions as you explore the world.
This means your story will be shaped not only by your own actions, but also by the path taken by the person you chose to follow. You might visit the same location as them, but encounter completely different characters or scenarios depending on what they did before you.
Even though you’re playing solo, you’ll constantly feel the presence of others. Thanks to your Tidewalker abilities, you can reveal echoes of past players—ghosts that show how they moved, what they chose, and sometimes even how they tried to communicate with you using emotes!
Your story will be shaped not only by your own actions, but also by the path taken by the person you chose to follow.
And if the player you’re following doesn’t quite match your vibe? No worries—you can switch to someone else and see how their journey reshapes your own.
It’s a whole new way to experience storytelling, and we’re really excited to see how players use it.
Q: Will Tides of Tomorrow have any similarities or references to the beloved thought-provoking journey of Road 96?
A: With Road 96, we wanted to push the boundaries of narrative design through procedural storytelling. With Tides of Tomorrow, we’re continuing that spirit of innovation—this time by exploring how multiplayer and narrative can blend in a completely new way.
So if you enjoyed Road 96, you’ll definitely recognize some familiar DNA: the focus on player choice, the emotional journeys, and the way your actions ripple through the world. And for the keen-eyed explorers out there—yes, there are a few subtle nods and references hidden throughout Tides of Tomorrow.
Q: How do you progress through the story and find a cure?
A: During your walkthrough you’ll meet different communities with their own issues and their own ideas on this cure! So you’ll jump from one location to another, traveling with your boat, and trying to help (or not) people to achieve your destiny! Sometimes people will ask you for some help, sometimes they will still help someone to help another… And above all, the choices you make and those of other players will take you towards one of several available endings!
In Tides of Tomorrow, your journey to find a cure unfolds as you explore a vast, fragmented world by boat. Along the way, you’ll encounter a variety of communities—each with their own beliefs, struggles, and theories about the cure. Some will welcome you, others will challenge you, and many will ask for your help.
Sometimes you’ll be asked directly to intervene. Other times, you’ll stumble upon the consequences of someone else’s actions and have to decide whether to get involved.
Your decisions—along with those of the players you’re following—will shape your path and ultimately determine which of the multiple endings you reach. Whether you choose to save yourself, your crew, or try to heal the entire world… that’s entirely up to you.
Q: What gameplay mechanics can you share with me?
A: Tides of Tomorrow offers a rich mix of gameplay mechanics that go beyond traditional narrative exploration. You’ll experience both on-foot and boat-based gameplay. On land, expect tense moments involving stealth, chases, and exploration. At sea, your boat becomes your lifeline—used for racing, combat, and navigating environmental challenges. These boat sequences can be tough, but they often lead to major rewards.
One of the core survival mechanics revolves around managing your health. As a Tidewalker, you’re affected by a disease, Plastemia, and you’ll need to make tough choices: do you use medicine for yourself, share it with NPCs, or even pass it on to another player? Balancing personal survival with collective responsibility is a key part of the experience.
We’re not revealing everything just yet, but if you’ve seen the trailers, you’ve already had a glimpse of what’s coming!
Q: Visually, Tides of Tomorrow looks stunningly vibrant and edgy. Can you talk about how you achieved this, and what the overall atmosphere is like?
A: In pre-production, we developed a procedural process to apply textures automatically once a prop is put in-game. Thanks to that, the harmonization of the global art style is way simpler!
As you can see from the different trailers, our idea was to go for a colorful postapocalyptic game, so a lighter atmosphere to counterbalance the drama people from that planet are going through and the themes of the game!
Q: Will there be currency, items, and consumables? And will Tides of Tomorrow have any seasonal content?
A: Tides of Tomorrow features a currency system—on Elynd, it’s called “scrap.” You’ll find scrap scattered across the world as you explore different locations. It’s essential for trading with merchants, especially when it comes to acquiring Ozen, the medicine used to slow down the effects of the disease. The more scrap you collect, the more options you’ll have to survive and support others.
There’s no battle pass or seasonal content planned. Tides of Tomorrow is designed as a complete experience at launch. We’ll release updates to fix major issues and polish the game, but it’s not built as a live service. We really wanted to focus on delivering a rich, standalone narrative adventure.
Q: Can you shed some light on NPC’s, dialogue, and how decisions will affect your experience?
A: We’ll be revealing more about the characters in the coming months, but if you’ve seen the trailers, you’ve already met a few key figures—especially Obin, the leader of the Marauders. He’s the only character who appears in both trailers, which should give you a hint about his importance in the story.
Every major NPC in Tides of Tomorrow has their own motivations, beliefs, and relationship to the cure. Your interactions with them—through dialogue and choices—can dramatically alter their fate, and even the fate of entire communities. What makes it even more interesting is that your story is also shaped by the decisions of the player you’re following.
A Message For Tidewalkers
At Digixart, storytelling is at the heart of everything we do. With Road 96, we explored a procedural narrative in a dystopian setting. With Tides of Tomorrow, we’re taking that ambition even further—crafting a multiplayer story where your journey is shaped not only by your own choices, but by the echoes of others.
Our goal is to offer players a truly fresh experience—one that feels personal, emotional, and deeply connected. We want you to feel like you’re part of something bigger, where every decision matters and every story is unique.
We can’t wait to see how you explore this world, how you interact with others through time, and how you reflect on the legacy you leave behind. Thanks for being part of this adventure—we’re so excited to share it with you. —Kevin Bard
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