Project info
- Developer Arrow Games
- Showcase year 2020
- Programme Other
Synopsis
Long long ago, in the Kingdom of Roykfern, music was loved by everyone. Day and night, people would dance and sing in the streets without a worry in the world. However, things would soon change with the birth of the King’s daughter. Princess Lorfla, the firstborn child of the King and descendant to the royal throne was not like other children. You see, she was different. When every other child cried, she remained silent. When every other child danced, she was confused. Whatever any other child could hear, she could not. Heartbroken, the King called for the Magistrate of Music, the oldest and wisest man in all of Roykfern. Pleading for his help, the King offered him everything and anything he could ever ask for in exchange for his daughter’s hearing. The Magistrate tried everything he could, from the most sacred rituals of sound to the most powerful potions known to any Roykfern. Alas, he failed. He could not restore the princess’s hearing. Furious, the King decided that if his daughter cannot enjoy music, no one should. He banned music from the Kingdom and exiled the Magistrate into the distant lands of silence. Ever since newborn Roykfern grew up without ever learning about music. 40 years later, we meet Roland, a young pyramid-shaped Roykfern. Legend has it, that Roland is the last Roykfern of his kind. Having only a family heirloom with him, he wishes to uncover his origins, and find out more about who he really is.
Roykfern: A Musical Narrative Adventure
Roykfern is a point-and-click adventure. You play Roland, an inquisitive and anxious young Roykfern who by accident ends up on a journey to the furthest reaches of Roykfern to find the Lord Magistrate of Music and to unlock the secrets of his past, as well as saving his beloved homeland.
Motivation
I’ve lived with issues linked to childhood abuse from a young age and have used meditation and music, among other things, to help me live with what happened and live with my mental health in a positive way. I wanted to use elements of music and meditation in Roykfern, showing how my experiences of depression and anxiety could be captured within a beautifully-crafted game, whilst not being clinical and still having mass appeal. The game is not aimed to be a cure-all, or to be focused on mental health, but is used to develop the main character's story (Roland), who is based on the journey I've gone through. The project shows that you can't cure depression, but can live with it by finding things that help you.
Credits
Brooke Singer - French For Rabbits
Michal Wiatrowski - Programmer
Jonathan Duncanson - Programmer
Barnabas Fekete - Asset Artist
Martin Ng - Character Artist
Evgeniya Seminenko - Environment Artist
Samuel Lambie - Producer
Lefkos Savvides - Narrative Design
Calum Robb - Creative Lead & Audio
