There's security in leadership. Having a guiding hand to help you process your environment can sow positive seeds — that of trust and confidence. When forced into a state of isolation, reliance shifts to vulnerability, making fear of the unknown an omnipresent force.
This is the thematic script for
Paws,
an upcoming adventure game set in the Shelter universe. Everything is viewed from the perspective of a young cub, who must rely on undeveloped instincts for survival in a foreign fantasy world. Storytelling techniques are used in the initial phases to relay the effects of a lost dependency, in keeping with the larger narrative on loss. The finer details of how it goes about telling this story is what GameZone sought to learn from Might and Delight's COO, Vic Bassey.
"You are on the short end when it comes to direct control of the situation," Bassey began, speaking about how the cub's view of the world impacts players. Initially, emphasis is placed on the parent-child relationship, which means first being led by the trained instincts of another before having to develop your own. "In the beginning, you are dependent on the mother who directs where to go and what to do." This is in contrast with Shelter 2, which offered more freedom in the way of exploration. "After you are separated from your family," Bassey continued, "the dangers presented aren’t ones you can stand toe-to-toe with and fight back," which is similar to earlier series titles — except amplified, by virtue of the young cub's perspective.
Yet, Bassey also revealed that a state of powerlessness is not what Paws hopes to translate through its design philosophy. "You're never helpless, but definitely at a disadvantage." What this means, then, is relying on "cunning and smarts to overcome [threats] by hiding or fleeing using the different movement mechanics."
On an atmospheric level, Might and Delight wants players to have the cub as their focus throughout, which can prove challenging to pull off when also managing a landscape that is meant to bring themes of separation and vulnerability to the fore. Still, the team is not intent on creating an almost symbiotic relationship; instead, they seek to use the environment as a means of furthering the cub's perspective. "We’ve tried to adapt the game's focus aligned to that of the cub, so its focus should be your focus at the moment, and convey that in the audiovisual presentation and the available actions. For example, in the big-picture concept of loss, the cub's focus when separated from the family is to find them again. This gets represented with following their tracks and seeing ghost images along the way."
In the interest of ensuring that this cub-first focus is maintained, Bassey shared that the team has done some experimenting with respect to their art direction so that visual elements can aid in the player's consciousness. "We use a more abstract presentation for some story elements," he said. "They are meant to give room for the players' own interpretation, and to some degree represent the cub's limited understanding of the world." This approach is supported by visual-focused communication, a tactic carried over from past Shelter titles. "We keep the written word to a minimum, which means that we never outright tell the player exactly what they should do or what is happening." Bassey honestly acknowledged that such an approach to storytelling doesn't resonate with everyone — some prefer stories with "exact closure," as he put it. "But," he added, "we feel that it is the right direction for the Shelter series."
Ultimately, Might and Delight hopes that Paws' relatable narrative will be what players take away from the experience. "Paws as a spin-off title doesn’t come with any deep, soul-searching messages," Bassey said. "However, its theme focuses on overcoming fear to reach a specific goal, a subject matter most can relate to in the present global climate."
The game has been in development since around October of last year and
releases this March, making it roughly a six-month project. "We aren’t reliant on Paws breaking the bank, so to speak, but it would definitely give us more leeway to explore a lot more non-conventional projects we hold close to heart."
Evidently, Paws is one such project.