We recently celebrated Raiders of the Broken Planet’s first open beta anniversary - marking the first time that players got the chance to try MercurySteam’s independent take on the shooter genre and last week Schneider became the fifteenth playable Raider to be made available in the games roster of characters. Hundreds of players are now including him in their games either as a Raider or Antagonist. However, today we are going to look back to the very beginning of Raiders of the Broken Planet’s development. Because many of you have asked, via Twitter or Facebook, about the creative process behind the game, including how its iconic characters emerged. So now we will take a closer look at how the first Raider came to be: Lycus Dion.

“Lycus Dion’s original concept is as old as Raiders’ itself,” comments Enric Álvarez, Raiders of the Broken Planet’s Director. “We had this idea of the ultimate soldier. An immortal warrior who lives by his own code and has taken part in humankind’s most bloody battles throughout history yet is still alive to tell the tale.”

Of course, there’s more to Lycus’s longevity than just his martial prowess. After all, his military record extends way back to the late Nineteenth Century, at least. Many believe Lycus Dion made a pact with some dark force around that time, granting him the longevity to wage a never-ending war. Whatever the truth is, Lycus himself doesn’t seem to be privy to the details of such a pact, nor does he give his alleged immortality too much thought.

Many comic fans may have guessed that a certain DC Comics character influenced Lycus Dion’s conceptual design. Jorge Benedito, MercurySteam’s Art Director, confirms this point. “Lobo was an obvious influence when designing Lycus, but we had to make sure that his aesthetic and personality were all his own. The final design fits perfectly with the overall art direction we determined for Raiders of the Broken Planet.”

As with all the Raiders designs, the character includes several visual cues – some of which are more obvious than others – that really help tell their individual stories. Lycus uncanny appearance (accented by his white skin, fiery red hair and sharpened teeth) suggest there is some preternatural influence over him, while his multiple scars and bionic arms speak of an eternity of war, where not even the most skilled warrior can avoid injury forever.

The Concept Art team also played with the “eternal soldier” idea when it came to design Lycus’s alternate weapons and skins, hinting at his past as a space biker, and even further back in time with his Prussian Mercenary outfit which has proved really popular with the fans.

In game, Lycus’ passion for combat and his aggressive nature reflect on his play style, where he prefers to get up close and personal when dealing with his enemies. As with all the Raiders, Lycus has a special ability: he can deploy a kinetic force field that allows him to survive the worst of the incoming fire, enabling him to get within range quickly and use his powerful (but short range) hand cannons, or his bare hands if you prefer! Playing with Lycus rewards gamers who want a wild and savage play style, but also like to keep an eye on teamwork. Lycus offers great close support to snipers and healers in any squad.

If you have any advice or favourite tactics when playing with Lycus, or just want to share your thoughts on this iconic character with the rest of the community, please get in touch via Facebook and Twitter! We look forward to hearing from you!

See you on the Broken Planet, Raiders.

The MercurySteam Team