One of the best aspects of PAX is the opportunity to find new and up-and-coming developers that haven’t yet had their moment in the spotlight. On Friday, I had the pleasure of talking with the good folks at Sunsgrove Studios who were representing War of the Western Deep. There is so much to love about this indie title!
Development Overview
Developed and produced by Sunsgrove Stuidos, a tag team of graphic artists with a publishing background and career programmers, War of the Western Deep is an adventure game with a visual style that calls back to the era of hand-drawn Disney films. Older players will recognize the Robin Hood (1973) / Secrets of NIMH style to the game’s visuals.
The game itself is based upon the graphic novel Beyond the Western Deep, written by Alex Kain and illustrated by Rachel Bennett. Kain, the author and lead programmer of the game, holds a passionate love for timeless animation styles that hold up well as the years pass by.
Interestingly, the base game runs in 60 FPS, but the character animations run intentionally at 24 FPS to simulate the classic hand-drawn Disney animations.
The game has been in production for four years, but is still seeking funding; fans can expect a Kickstarter campaign soon.
Gameplay
Most of the game is about exploration, puzzle-solving, and following clues. However, players will encounter enemies; when this happens, the combat takes the form of a duel.
The game developer explained that the combat in War of the Western Deep is in part inspired by the classic boxing game Punch-Out. While the weapons are medieval, the games share a similarity in that enemies will always have a “tell” that players can spot; once they do, victory is achieved by counter attacking or dodging at the correct moment in the sequence.
If you’re intrigued, or just want to help make War of the Western Deep a success, the team has asked that fans Wishlist the game on Steam.
Tell us what you think! Are you interested in War of the Western Deep? Will you consider helping to fund the game? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation in Boss Rush Network’s Discord, Facebook, and Twitter.
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