Littlewood Preview
Stories of a hero defeating a threat against their homeland is probably the most common trope within the world of video games. But what happens after the epic battle is over? Littlewood takes a look inside the story of a small town trying to rebuild after the threat of an evil wizard has been neutralized. This approach makes Littlewood one of our most anticipated upcoming indie titles. It also explains why the game smashed its funding goals during its initial Kickstarter campaign.
The Basics
Until recently, the world of Solemn had been under siege by the villainous Dark Wizard and his evil minions. And thanks to your character, he has now been defeated. But there is a ton of rebuilding to be done, both within your town of Littlewood as well as in your own mind. See, you may have defeated the Dark Wizard, but you have no recollection of what happened. Your game begins with a young child finding you in the woods, unconscious for days after winning your battle with the Dark Wizard. From here, it is your job to rebuild your town and hopefully your memory as well.
The art in Littlewood can only be described as charming. A throwback to the day NES, this pixelated world you view from above will get the nostalgia flowing for anyone that has been playing video games for very long.
The Mechanics
The bulk of gameplay involves your efforts to rebuild Littlewood and convince people to move back. The town starts as a mishmash of trees, rocks, and weeds. You’ll need to develop the skills to harvest materials to build Littlewood into the town of your dreams. Along the way, you’ll explore the large world of Solemn, harvesting materials and collecting rare items. You’ll meet a vibrant cast of NPC characters; some may move to Littlewood and help rebuild while others might unlock some of your lost memories.
Once Littlewood starts to grow, you can build relationships with the people that live there. Many of the citizens will have requests; living near water, having a home on a higher elevation, etc. Each time you work with these residents to meet their needs, you will earn their loyalty and build relationships with them.
The Creators
Littlewood is developed by a one-man team. Sean Young, a Florida-based game developer, has been creating games for the better part of six years. He has had games successfully funded on Kickstarter in the past, including Magicite, Pixel Kingdom, and Roguelands.
Conclusion
We’re excited about this release, and since it’s already fully funded it seems likely to come out. According to the Q+A section, beta testing begins in March 2019. Littlewood has old-school charm, but it looks to differentiate itself with its relaxed RPG spirit.
Plugs
Want more information about Littlewood? Follow Sean Young on Twitter or Instagram. And don’t forget to check out the Kickstarter page here. And once it releases, check back with Nerds and Scoundrels for our full review.
