On this page, you can find at a single place a comprehensive overview of all the important information and links for the action-adventure game which is going to redefine once and for all what accessibility in modern videogames means.
You can quickly and conveniently skip between the various parts of the page using the headings, or the navigation links above. Below in the footer, you can find links to the social networks and other important channels for the game.
The game is coming out on September 6, 2022 on Steam for Windows PC. A public demo (including the accessibility features) will be available in the Summer. The game can be controlled not only with the keyboard, or keyboard and mouse, but also using a gamepad.
Audio trailer
They say that a single picture is worth a thousand words, and the same is true even for sound as well! Listen to the exclusive audio trailer created specifically for you, the first of its kind, which will reveal even more about the game.
Game description
Shadows over Silesia is a dark action adventure game with fantasy elements, set in real medieval Europe. With true historical events in the background, you can mainly expect challenging puzzles and difficult battles, but also stealth scenes and important decisions. You will come across possessed devil worshipers, sexual demons, and beasts from hell, as well as creatures well-known from European mythology.
Dark fantasy story
Europe is in the middle of religious upheaval and many preachers predict that the end of the world is near. The year is 1428 and the Hussites have just set out on their Silesian campaign. These heretics appear to be the biggest threat in the kingless country. But true evil of a completely different kind is lurking nearby and it does not intend to engage in religious disputes.
The game is linear and takes place during the entire Hussite campaign. It will be divided into thirteen chapters, with which you will be able to spend about 30 hours of playtime. You will experience everything from the point of view of the two main characters. Hynek, a grumpy Hussite hetman who doesn't hesitate to swear or mess around with anything, and Lothar, a Hospitaller knight, a man of good education and manners who stands alongside his brethren in the front line of the Silesian defense. Each has their own motivations and views of the world around them, and different equipment and abilities. Their fates will soon become intertwined. Will they face one another, weapon in hand, or forge a fragile alliance to stand shoulder to shoulder against a far worse enemy?
Challenging puzzles
The original puzzles you will come across on your dangerous journey will most definitely be tough. Classic adventure games of the 1990s were a big inspiration. You will have to take advantage of your surroundings, look for objects, obtain information, and solve puzzles or encoded messages. Some problems can be solved in multiple ways, or they can be cleverly worked around.
Sneaking in the shadows
Sometimes you'll have to blend into the shadows and sneak past enemies to avoid being detected. Following their patrol routes and habits will help you find the best path. Or you can try to quietly take them out, one by one.
Complex combat
The combat system is easy to understand but it takes practice to fully master it. Remember one thing: being outnumbered is a problem! If three or more opponents attack you at the same time, you will die! The key is to take advantage of their mistakes, wait for the right moment, and then attack. You will face not just knights, villagers, and robbers, but also various supernatural beings who are not to be underestimated.
Diverse environments
In the game, you will move around on foot as well as on horseback. You will visit various real as well as fictitious places in medieval Silesia. You will plunder villages, doggedly defend the city walls, and explore places such as secret dungeons, abandoned mines, or forbidden parts of monasteries. For example, you can look forward to visiting Röwersdorf, Nysa, the Brzeg monastery, or the Rabesberg castle.
Hidden coins
You will have the opportunity to search for two kinds of hidden coins. Only the best of the best will be able to collect them all. Not only will you fill your wallet with them and unlock unique achievements, but you can also occasionally use them to progress through the story.
Accessibility features
1428: Shadows over Silesia will be fully accessible to you. This will make it the first game ever on PC and the second overall (after The Last of Us Part II) to bring full blind support to an adventure of this scale. We're not talking about just some of the in-game text being read or about some kind of rudimentary navigation. The game will bring all-new revolutionary elements that will allow you to enjoy a full experience not only of the story, dialogue and exploring the environment, but also stealth scenes or combat, including large scale battles! Although the accessibility in TLOU2 was a tremendous success and won numerous awards, Shadows over Silesia takes everything to a whole new level never seen before.
The following is a summary of the accessibility features the game will offer you:
Full narration of all in-game text
Including the reading of pop-up hints, character properties, active quests, journal entries and inventory
Closed captions in cutscenes
Subtitle narration for non-dubbed languages
The ability to skip forward and backward in text
Support for JAWS and NVDA
Special environment descriptions
Most locations have their own text descriptions, so that even you can enjoy the game's dark atmosphere while receiving additional information you would otherwise miss
Advanced navigational features
Navigation to important story points, characters and even custom points that can be added on demand in an unlimited quantity
Reporting of the remaining distance to the destination
Compass narration as well as a coordinate system
Assistance with turning towards objects or characters
Sonar
A revolutionary feature that will finally allow you to freely explore and navigate the entire game world
The sonar also announces friendly and enemy characters and determines their locations
Alerts for traps or destructible barriers
A large number of audio cues
Alerts for objects and interesting interactions. Many of these provide additional sounds to let you know what is around you right as you first hear it
Alerts for the beginning and end of cutscenes, low health, leaving an area, and many other situations
Warnings about enemies
Signals to attack or defend
Optional simplification of some mechanics
Accessible combat, including large scale battles
Accessible stealth that maintains its atmosphere as well as difficulty
More time to complete timed events
And a great deal of other extra goodies
Fully remappable controls, even when using a controller
The option to receive sonar feedback not just via audio but also as controller vibrations
The entire user interface, including all menus and dialogs, completely accessible with both the keyboard and controller
The possibility to lock camera rotation or turn the camera off altogether
The option to configure sound to play as though in first person view. You will thus be literally in the center of the events and will be able to hear every single murmur and whisper even better, although the game is visually displayed in third person
The option to have accessibility cues displayed also visually
Separate sliders for the game's master volume as well as music, voices, user interface sounds and others
A wide array of graphics settings
The possibility to increase or decrease the size of the user interface as needed
System requirements
Minimal
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
Operating system: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or Windows 11
Processor: Intel i3-3220
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics card: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 660 or AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870