Help a tiny stone totem achieve victory in ‘Mandagon’
Filed inside: Games
Update 4/12/16: A previous version of this article mistakenly referred to Blind Sky Studios as Blue Sky Studios. We regret the error.
Anyone who follows Blind Sky Studios is most likely waiting in great anticipation for their spooky-looking upcoming release, { adam }. This dark and gritty dive into the past is currently under development, and most of the Blind Sky Studios team is working hard to bring the twisting, turning, vision to life. We aren’t quite sure when to expect { adam }, so developers have started a small side project to make the wait more bearable. Enter Mandagon, a cute little side-scrolling platformer that’s brimming with charm and artistry.
Mandagon features a spunky little stone totem that’s on a platforming journey to enlightenment. The symbolism and gameplay elements in Mandagon are loosely based on Tibetan lore and philosophy. The overall theme should follow something along the lines of “the importance of sacrifice,” or self-sacrifice in a sense. It will be very curious to see how Blind Sky Studios plans to unravel their Tibetan-based story through this small stone, especially since the game doesn’t plan on being very long. We can expect to see a short platforming affair that may only last around 30 minutes from start to finish. That may not seem like a very impressive adventure, but it is important to note that developers are simply using Mandagon as a side-project while they work on the impressive-looking { adam }.
Still, we shouldn’t mistake Mandagon‘s lack of playtime for a lack of substance. From first glance, this upcoming mini-journey contains a lot of visual depth. All of the backdrops and graphical elements we’ve seen are two-dimensional in design but pack a powerful animation punch. Waterfalls tumble endlessly down massive stone walls, and arched walkways float effortlessly across a bright blue sky. Mandagon is gorgeously crafted from an artistic standpoint and is an incredibly bright change of pace from the dark and dreary graphical elements we’ve seen with { adam }. It’s rather entertaining to see how two completely different emotions are expressed in two very different game types from the same developer. It will be interesting to see if Mandagon spans across multiple realms, and if we see environmental changes as the title progresses. Even if the short-lived adventure only takes place in this imaginative floating temple in the sky, the stone carved platforms, wooden structures, and Tibetan influenced items create a wonderfully-immersive game world.
We aren’t quite sure what to expect with Mandagon in terms of gameplay yet, but from the few released snippets we’ve seen, we know it’s going to be a simple platformer. However, from that point onward remains to be seen. The small stone totem is rather agile, and can jump pretty high. In one small clip, we saw it leap into a strange symbol, only to be teleported away. Enemies are absent from these small previews, but it’s entirely possible that Mandagon will venture away from the traditional baddie-filled zones and encompass a story-driven space instead. Perhaps puzzles and maze-like areas are what’s in store for our little stone friend. Whatever Blind Sky Studios decides to unveil, it’s most likely it will involve some kind of unique storyline.
If you’re interested in getting more information about Mandagon, be sure to check out the developer’s website here. You can also follow the crew on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Hopefully, Mandagon will release sometime in the near future and will keep us on our toes until the talented team at Blind Sky Studios can crank out { adam }.
