Nostalgia runs deep in today’s indie game development scene, from Minecraft’s blocky textures to the old school platformer escapades of Super Meat Boy. And when a developer combines those comforting “jaggies” with a new and truly unique experience, that’s when gamers begin to drool.
This recipe is what first drew us to Sword & Sworcery, a forthcoming iOS adventure game from Superbrothers, an “ambiguously pluralized art and design organization in Toronto.” The project was made in conjunction with Capy, a Toronto-based game studio.
But we didn’t discover it on some indie gaming message board or an insider blog. It emerged from the ether on a handful of cryptic tweets — little updates emanating from those in the know who were already enjoying an advanced release.
So what is Sword & Sworcery? Good question.
On its face, the game looks like an homage to those early Sierra Entertainment titles, where you guide your pixelated hero via text commands. Mix that aesthetic with some Legend of Zelda-style questing, a dose of humor, and a tactile control scheme made especially for the iPad, and you’re getting closer to what S&S is all about. Throw in a dynamic ambient music system, optional Twitter integration, and some sweet arcade style combat, and you’re almost there.
Confused yet? We were too. Luckily, the game’s creator/artist/animator Craig D. Adams came to our aid with some insights into Sworcery’s development and upcoming release.
