The last few years have been pretty quiet for Bit Kid, but this year we finally broke the silence with the announcement of our next title, WOLFHOUND. It may have seemed like it came out of nowhere, but it’s been in the works for quite some time now. It was honestly a bit scary to secretly work on something for so long, not knowing whether anyone would be interested in it when it was finally announced, but thankfully, the overwhelmingly positive response from you all and the world put that lingering sense of dread to rest. Now we can march towards the finish line with the confidence that we’re on the right track!
The announcement trailer did a great job of getting across what WOLFHOUND is and how it plays, but I thought I’d take a moment in this update to focus on a few key design decisions and gameplay details that may not have been so obvious.
WORLD
While I’ve been striving to make each area of WOLFHOUND distinct, my goal was for it to feel like one massive, seamless locale. This meant the entire island, from the snowy mountain peaks at the top to the lava-filled chasms at the bottom, needed to fit on a single map. There are some other changes in this game as well to further enhance that feeling of interconnectedness, such as the camera panning smoothly between rooms as you explore, and no transition or loading screens between areas.
GAMEPLAY
“Contravania” was a humorous (yet endearing!) term we often saw used to describe the game when the trailer was released. And while the military themes and weapons do call Contra to mind, the primary influence on everything from the art style to the gameplay was the mother of all Metroidvania games: the original Metroid on NES. Like Metroid, the pacing in WOLFHOUND is much more deliberate than a typical run ‘n gun game. The limited reach of your weapons, the reloading mechanic, and the intentional lack of diagonal firing all require you to carefully approach each encounter.
ARSENAL
You begin your mission with only a standard-issue handgun and your trusty combat knife, but as you explore the island, you will soon build a powerful arsenal. There are three main types of weapons to find: Sidearms, Rifles, and Explosives. Only one of each can be equipped at a time, and each type has its own distinct advantages. For example, Sidearms typically have shorter reach and less punch than Rifles, but have the benefit of unlimited ammo. Also, keep an eye out for the Armory rooms found throughout the world that allow you to change your loadout, refill ammo, and upgrade your arsenal with Weapon Kits you find off the beaten path.
WRAP UP
And that’s it for this year! We’ve gone heads down on developing WOLFHOUND, but will have further updates to share throughout 2025. If you have any more questions or thoughts, please let me know, and I’ll consider them for a future update. And as always, thanks again for all your support. We hope you have a great holiday season, and we’ll see you in 2025!