One of The Indie Informer’s very own community members is looking to bring indie fans a cozy, looping metroidvania. Sebastian Asaro, founder of Mad Sam Game Studio, pitched the title, irresistibly, as an attempt to “modernize the Majora’s Mask formula while still keeping with some of the heavier themes.” With visuals of a child’s playroom staring at me, the contrast between playful aesthetics and dark undertones was notable.
Barty’s Adventure now has its own Steam page, though the release is currently set for next year. Hopefully, that’s enough time to help you prep for a three-day cycle of platforming, relationship-building, and boss battles.
“I taught myself coding and pixel art over the past five years,” explained Asaro while expanding on his experience developing Barty’s Adventure so far, “making the game in the early hours of most mornings while balancing two new kids and a day job over that time.”
It turns out, the title’s central conceit — preparing for the arrival of a new child and overcoming all the anxieties and hurdles that come with that — hits close to the creator’s own life. “Because of this new journey into fatherhood,” he said, “I’ve centered the entire world of the game around this new experience. The children’s toys in the game are all based on my own daughters’ stuffed animals and dolls, and the challenges faced in the game reflect some of those themes of being a new parent — living the same days over and over, fighting to maintain your identity, etc.”
And while the game offers to soften “some of [the genre’s] rough edges” with things like resources to help you from losing progress in a new loop and huggable costumes for the already huggable protagonist, the developer still promises plenty of “secrets, stories, and surprises to discover” in Barty’s Adventure.
Leave a Reply