Revealed during the March 2026 Xbox Partner Showcase is Vaunted, the debut game by Lost Lake Games to be published by Hooded Horse.
Set in a sci-fi world with western vibes, Vaunted is a tactical RPG with real-time elements. Characters are free to move to a set distance, and actions like dodging and precision shooting require skill rather than dice rolls.
Think Valkyria Chronicles and other modern tactical RPGs of the same vein like Persona 5 Tactica or even Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and you’ll get the gist of what Vaunted’s take on tactical RPG should play like. Or another way of putting it: less XCOM, more Phoenix Point.
Vaunted has three main characters: Gendril, Dyse, and Kyvaath and they’re not exactly buddies. They are mercs, and they’re all unreliable narrators. Each of these characters tells their Vaunted story a little different, their own take on the events, and players have the power to make which tall tale becoming the truth.
Interestingly, there is permadeath. Should one of the trio of heroes die, it will open up opportunities to “rewrite the current chapter from a different perspective, unlocking opportunities for unique conversations, new loot, skills, and secrets.”
Yes, there are dialogue options in Vaunted, as seen in the trailer where a fail flirting attempt was showcased.
On top of the three frenemies, you can recruit other members to join the team. Every character has skill trees and loadout options.
Lost Lake Games is co-founded by James Phinney, veteran game developer previously at Blizzard and Arena Net. He worked on a number of games including Guild Wars, World Of Warcraft, and most interestingly: Lost Vikings 2, also known as Norse by Norsewest, the 1997 video game which happens to also feature a trio of heroes with a less than ideal working relationship.
Vaunted has no release date yet but it’s coming to PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store). It will also launch straight on PC Game Pass on day one.