"ACE Team wants the next installment to be much larger in scope, so the new game will feature open ended gameplay with large explorable environments and RPG elements," reads a release. "The unique melee combat system that made the first game a success will also be expanded to feature even more brutal and engaging gameplay." Zeno Clash was born out of a failed ACE Team project titled Zenozoik: Shattered Land. The project featured ambitious RPG elements, with plenty of classes, non-violent options for every encounter, and neutral NPCs that reacted to player actions.

You can read more about Zenozoik on the Zeno Clash board. Check out the trailer for the NPC-filled prototype below: