>>713979461dunno if the devs actually revealed any info, but between conspicuously unique mechanics and being very different from their usual isometric hacking and slashing affair, pyre has quite a few atavisms
i'm betting the original concept was either more roguelite-y or more of a dedicated journey management sim, because your first way to the mount and the subsequent grind clash terribly
the first act consists of a long trek where you can get different benefits by going different ways excluding the singular time you get no bonus whichever way you go, backtrack a bit, and also engage in a few gimmick sections, like defending from wolves and dodging water currents, that remix the basketball rites
in the second act your means of transport gains the ability to fly, and you just pick which enemy team you want to battle exactly, also all the opponent/party member/overall story progression happen almost completely independently from each other, unlike the strictly linear first act