In the pre-alpha build highlighted in previous videos, we featured an area that is very close to our hearts: Braer Castle! We now wanted to go a bit more in-depth on this area so you could see just how much it means to us and why it is currently one of our favourite areas in Mandragora.
First off, we’d like to talk a bit about our inspirations for Mandragora. The guiding idea behind the art style has always been based upon a trip to Ireland taken by our two creative leads back in 2016, where they fell in love with the epic dark fantasy style of their folklore. Taking that inspiration and blending it with the Primal Game Studio team's love of Eastern European legends and tales helped create the aesthetic you see today.
It was with these two striking folklore inspirations in mind that we also landed on this painterly style that helps give Mandragora a classic feel. And the best place to see these dark, gothic influences reflected in the game’s design is on Braer Island, home to the mysterious Braer Castle.
Braer Castle is a great place to take in the art style of the game at its best, with beautiful grand and gothic areas. The inclusion of details in the mid/foreground was purposeful, to keep the background less in focus and lighter to help all character silhouettes really ‘pop’. This means that while our character is the main star of the show, you can still take in all the other details without feeling overwhelmed.
To show you a bit more, here is a sneak peek at one of the rooms in the castle in the concept art stage:
And now, here’s how it looks in-game!
Pretty big difference, right? And we’re not finished. We’re still working on the game and we’ve got a lot more to add and amend, so by the time you get to play the game, it will hopefully look even better.
And of course, you’ll find a variety of enemies and characters to interact with while on Braer Island. Like the Striga, for instance — a fearsome opponent inspired by Slavic mythology, who can hunt you down and dodge your attacks until she's ready to strike her devastating blow. Watch out, because one strike from the Striga can be deadly!
She’s not the only one waiting in the shadows, but we’ll share more about that later when we can give you an in-depth look at some of our other enemies in Mandragora.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1721060/Mandragora/
We hope you enjoyed getting a sneak peak at how we created this area. We’ve got so much more to show you about Mandragora, so if you want to keep up-to-date, hit the wishlist button and follow us on social at @MandragoraGame on Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram!