Hello to all of our horror, adventure and investigation fanatics!
Today we're very excited to be able to tell you all about a glorious game that is just around the corner—Mansions of Madness: Mother's Embrace. We're so excited to bring you into this world of dread, fear, clues, mysteries and untold horrors. For those of you delving into the depths of this investigation with no knowledge of Lovecraft and the board game, fear not... this insanity is for all and you won't be left behind, unless your mind leaves you first. For those that are already aware of the Lovecraft mythos and the original board game that our game is based off, you should have a good idea of what kinds of terrors and machinations await you. But remember that this is a brand new story and adventure to undertake... so be prepared!
Mansions of Madness: Mother's Embrace is a video game adaptation of the well-known board game Mansions of Madness, which has been an immense success over the years. In this game you will control your team of up to three investigators from a selection of characters—all with their own unique strengths and weaknesses, personality traits, quirks, interests and abilities—and try to discover what insane machinations and mysteries are occurring in an incredibly beautiful and narrative world. You will see a story unfold before you as you adventure through Arkham and Louisiana, fight off terrifying lovecraftian creatures and watch as your mind slowly slips away from you as the true horror of what is really happening becomes apparent.
The story that has been created by LuckyHammers, in close collaboration with Fantasy Flight Games, is a respectful variation and interpretation of Lovecraft's books. It also integrates elements that you wouldn't usually find in a Lovecraftian story that assist in enhancing the gameplay experience. While all of the creatures you face in Mansions of Madness: Mother's Embrace will be beyond your imagination and powerful beyond measure, you will still be able to fight them in order to survive and continue to investigate the terrible happenings in Louisiana. One of the main differences between this digital version and the board game is that we have been able to create a campaign mode that has bound together several different scenarios into one massive investigation that you can undertake. After you complete some investigation in Arkham, you will then travel to New Orleans, Louisiana, where you can investigate the sprawling streets of the city, the plantations, and even the Bayou; all of which make up this magnificent—but eerie and dangerous—location.
We really wanted to have the players feel that the menacing nature and size of our campaign is far bigger than just a mansion or even only a city... You're not safe anywhere, and your mind will suffer for it. This led us towards our decisions for three very specific pillars that we wanted to focus on to ensure that everyone would be able to have the best gameplay experience possible: the cosmic scale, the horror, and finally...the madness.
When we mean scale, we are not referring to the size of the world—which is fairly large—but to how we made sure that every part of this game made you realize how small and insignificant you really are against the absolute and terrifying power of what you are discovering and facing. You are but a bug on the wall trying to comprehend the works of something that you cannot even begin to understand.
Something that helps to showcase this is the second pillar: the constant horror that we portray throughout every inch of the game, from the music, sound and visual effects, to the creatures and places you will visit. But understand that this isn't the kind of horror you are used to—we don't do jump scares here. We're all about the lingering dread, the constant fear of what is to come. You will feel it everywhere, in the landscapes and buildings, in the monsters you will face, in the music that shakes you to your core.
This all leads us to the central pillar: the madness. Throughout your journey you will be uncovering a mystery that brings about revelations and realizations that will shake you to the core of your being, testing your mind at every step, not to mention the constant threat of otherworldly creatures. You will be able to see the effect of this on your characters as they take a long descent in to their own hell and end their journey either mad, or not far from it. Your body will be tested, your heart will waver, and your mind WILL be lost…
Mansions of Madness: Mother's Embrace is a game that we are so proud to be working on today as it is a subtle mix of modern gameplay, with a strong narrative aspect, and a faithful transformation of the best elements of the board game to your device! We have taken some of the best aspects of the board game to improve not only the replayability of the game, but also just your general experience of it. One of the best examples of this are the seamless tiles that make up the randomized landscapes and locations you will visit in Louisiana.
Every location, both indoor and outdoor, consists of seamless tiles that our engine can switch, rotate and use to create a unique world for you to play through. This allows you to experience something different with every play-through and see locations in new and different ways that you might not have before. Which brings us to our dynamic lighting, time and weather systems, which adds further variety to your experience. In one play-through the Bayou might be rainy and misty, and in another it could be sunny and bright, or even the cold dead of night...but it will never lose those three pillars we mentioned earlier—the feeling of dread and discomfort never leaves, no matter the setting!
One of the core restrictions that tabletop games have is that it is limited to a 2D space. Luckily, thanks to this being a video game, we have a whole new dimension—such as stairs and levels—we can utilise to further diversify your environment and surroundings.
All of these things added together have allowed us to include new features and experiences that provide you with the same feeling you get from the board game, but culminate to create something even more memorable.
We look forward to revealing even more terrifying, chilling content and information to you again in the future. Feel free to ask us what you would like to know about this mysterious universe and we may cover it in one of our future “Diving into the Madness” blogs.
Mind your sanity, adventurers!
