Tone/Inspirations
"If you wish to be unique, I recommend being dipping oneself in a chaos pool while being cursed by a Hag's Coven, perhaps just after eating strange mold. If you wish for greatness, follow the heroes of old, and do as they did." Lo, Accursed Wanderer
Each game draws from different inspirations, has its own tone(s). The world is full of magic, of breathtaking sights that the characters will get to journey through. There are spirits, and dungeons, and wandering warriors. Awakened animals can engage with ancient guardians. Songs can hold power. Those who are broken pick up their pieces and those who are whole are tested.
Any fantasy story contains some element of the surreal. This particular game is still meant to be grounded in emotional realism. Badass, epic moments are encouraged. Characters shouting strange noises before slipping on a banana peel less so. Be able to endure things normal people shouldn't is great. Getting chipped out of a block of ice by a rodent companion with an ice pick is too goofy for this game.
There is a beautiful, bittersweet feel to this world. So much has been lost, so many scars remain. And yet, there is so much hope, so many dreams and intertwining fates. Like many of the stories pictured above, there are heavy themes of the natural world and its power, of the hero's journey, of the conflicts among well-meaning people, of the darkness that sits within each of us.
The five pictures above are very deliberately chosen for any familiar with any or all of these works.
The Legend of Zelda: Growing up with Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, it is quintessential fantasy and adventure for me. Wonderful music, epic dungeons, quirky and memorable side characters, and an innate feel of the epic all resonate with me and hopefully this game.
Studio Ghibli: Magic, wonder, heavy themes of nature and a consistent handling of female protagonists and supporting characters, there's deep inspiration from these movies.
Samurai Champloo: Some of my favorite fight choreography in animation, the wandering from town to town, the bittersweet vibes of life are all things I plan to lean into.
Arcane: A little more indirect of influence, but the thought of the potential opportunities and dangers of magic, along with just solid characterization with fully developed protagonists and antagonists are all things I hope to draw inspiration from.
Moana: Well, just the lightness of better Disney products in general, but also Moana specifically given that I'll be drawing from the Islands of Sina Una third party material based on Philippines mythology, there'll be magic, wonder, and aspects that use different mythologies often mixing and matching.