“One of our favorites was about a donkey that pooped treasure.”
“A lot of them are really weird, nonsensical, or don’t make much sense in a modern context, but they were great fun to read,” says McGibney. Indeed, to create the world and characters of Wytchwood, he says Alientrap looked at many fables from the likes of Brothers Grimm and Giambattista Basile. McGibney is, of course, referring to the popular European folk tale the Little Red Riding Hood. However, he did tease that you’ll be able to “spin oddities like rainbow yarn that bedazzles those wrapped up in it, a magical marionette sporting a familiar red riding hood, and even an alchemist’s stone to turn wheat into gold.” When asked about other parts of the witch’s magical arsenal, McGibney says he doesn’t want to give much more away, “as the bag of tricks uses ties directly into the narratives she’s unravelling.” One example Alientrap cites in the PlayStation Blog post would be to use the ‘Snagvine’ spell to entrap a moving pumpkin. “There are enemies in the game, but you’re not asked to dodge bullets or perform intense action combos.” Instead, the challenge comes from gathering the necessary ingredients to create your potions and spells and successfully applying them to overcome obstacles. This meant emphasizing “exploration and easy-paced adventure,” says McGibney. To that point, Alientrap wants Wytchwood to have a “chill” vibe to it, per the original PlayStation Blog post. “The witches that appear in these stories are never about using brute strength or fast action, they’re about sharp tongues and tricking people who (sometimes) have it coming!” “She’s not a wizard throwing fireballs at orcs, she’s a grumpy little hermit who picks poisonous mushrooms to brew magical elixirs,” he says. After all, big action-packed spellcasting battles aren’t exactly something you’d expect to see such an aged character taking part in. The protagonist being up there in years also lent itself naturally to the type of adventure-focused gameplay that Wytchwood would ultimately offer. She’s seen it all, is wiser and more experienced than most everyone else she meets and doesn’t hesitate to put them in their place, even if she’s got a few cobwebs in the attic.” “We wanted to capture the wit and sass that a character like that has. “But it’s mostly because we think the old-fashioned witch is such an interesting archetype,” he admits. “Alientrap wants Wytchwood to have a ‘chill’ vibe to it.”Īccording to McGibney, part of the goal in focusing on the old hag was to “go against the norm” of not only the sorts of protagonists we often see, but of traditionally “cute and sweet” depictions of “‘witchy’ characters” as well.
In assuming the role of this mysterious witch, players will journey across a bizarre countryside to, as Alientrap describes it, “pass your twisted judgment upon a capricious cast of characters and creatures.” The witch is caught up in a dark pact that she doesn’t remember making, which forces her to travel the lands - including forests, swamps and mountaintops - to uncover her past. That’s right - in a refreshing change of pace, you play as an elderly witch. “We knew we wanted her to be the classic ‘warts and newt-eyes flavour’ - a proper cranky old lady that so often takes up the villain role in these sorts of fables,” says McGibney. In the opening moments of Wytchwood, our hero rises from a chair alongside the message, “Her bones may creak, but they’ll hold her up…” But if you’re expecting the sort of spry, young male protagonist that dominates fantasy stories, you’re in for a surprise.
“In contrast to our previous action-focused games, we wanted to try and make a more narrative-based experience that was open to a wider audience,” says Wytchwood creative director Jesse McGibney over e-mail of the conception of the game.įrom there, the idea came about to have the game focus on a magician who could concoct all kinds of magical potions and spells.
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