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1510810cookie-checkSunhead’s Next Game? Carto, A Cartographic Tale of Tiles
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2018/03

Sunhead’s Next Game? Carto, A Cartographic Tale of Tiles

We try to make games.” And that, the Taiwanese trio of Lee-Kuo, Chia-Yu and KH, seem to have done well over the course of two well-acclaimed mobile titles under the moniker of Sunhead Games.

Despite barely making it due to a lack of confidence and game-making experience, A Ride into The Mountains succeeded in its retro-action contemplative of an archer, before The Swords abbreviated wuxia to an ink-washed, calligraphic show of interactive art.

Their latest label of artistic expressionism is Carto. At the time of its game-play trailer-launch last month, not much was made known except that its 20-minute demo was well-received at this year’s Taipei Game Show. If you wanted to see what the gameplay is like, you can check out the trailer below.

At the crux of Eddie-Yu’s naturalistic soundscape seems to be a puzzle-adventure of sorts, manipulating the tiles of a map to unravel its many secrets.

After being inundated with one too-many mails from myself, possibly to his annoyance, Lee-Kuo was kind enough to break from juggling two kids and an indie career to answer a few questions. He told me the game contains:

  • A World-Map Transition embodies the crux of Carto’s tile-placement adventure, with the World being particularly supportive of player exploration. From this simple mechanic will grow,

  • A Character, Story & Puzzle-Driven Narrative, the interdependency of which is being actively explored alongside the afore-stated mechanics although,

  • The Works of Jon Klassen and Chris Sasaki will serve as thematic inspirations, childishly playful yet memorable to every grown-up.

Carto-screenshot-4

  • Cartography and Vivid Map Designs are to dictate the game’s expressionism, while the young and passionate Eddie-Yu is exploring his own concepts. And lastly,

  • Carto’s Made GDC’s Indie MEGABOOTH Lineup, where players may savor a fraction of forthcoming content, a potential digital demo and the full-release that’s imminent this year.

Neat, yes? Your thoughts on this little cartographic escapade being?

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