Greetings, gunslingers!
Hope you're ready for a "drawsome" Rose & Locket behind-the-scenes devlog!
We wanted to share some insight behind the scenes of Rose and Locket’s development
The story of Rose & Locket is a tale of Rose, an ex outlaw who’s been blackmailed by an evil Spirit of the Underworld, and her odyssey through the dangerous Underwest to free her daughter's spirit, imprisoned in a silver locket.
We want to provide players with an action packed adventure of Rose against great odds of the Underwest.
Our ambition was to craft a narrative rich in emotion encompassing themes of love, loss, and the journey in between. But we also want to weave an exhilarating adventure so unforgettable that even a humble tumbleweed couldn’t resist taking the voyage.
The visuals in Rose & Locket are distinct in their comic-like aesthetic. We went through many iterations before finally settling on an art style that we hope really ‘hits the bullseye’ for players with its aesthetic appeal.
We drew our game inspiration from Samurai Jack by Genndy Tartakovsky, an animated series famous for its blend of action, animation, and atmosphere, as well as its own distinctive artstyle. Genndy Tartakovsky's "Samurai Jack'' art style is minimalist and geometric, using clean lines and stark light-shadow contrast. Heavily influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and manga, it leans on visual storytelling and sound design, contributing to the show's mythic quality.
We are huge fans of minimal designs and using negative space and you can definitely see that in the Rose and Locket visuals.
Samurai Jack concept art
Rose and Locket art
Another major influence was Mike Mignola, the creative genius behind Hellboy! Mike Mignola's "gothic noir" style is marked by stark contrasts and simplified, yet exaggerated forms. Drawing inspiration from Lovecraftian elements, his symbolic, iconographic approach creates an eerie atmosphere. His unique blend of abstraction and storytelling and creative use of negative space have significantly impacted the comic book industry.
Mike Mignola art
Rose and Locket art
Similarly, Ashley Wood’s style blends traditional and digital art for a layered, mixed media aesthetic. Using bold brushstrokes, muted colors with vibrant bursts, and a mix of gritty realism and abstraction, his work is distinctively raw and dynamic. His stylized characters and chaotic compositions contribute to an often unsettling mood.
Ashley Wood art
As for the general in-game design of Rose & Locket, our end goal is a harmonious dance between detail and minimalism. We believe that leaving some room for imagination and interpretation is more compelling spelling everything out. We want you to saddle up, take the reins of your imagination, and ride alongside us through the story!
Rose & Locket
On the gameplay front we turned to the classics, finding inspiration in titles like Lucas Arts' Outlaws 1997 with its emphasis on adventure and story of revenge in the old west. It created a memorable setting and characters that stuck in our memory.
Games like this have taught us that engaging gameplay and thoughtful design can and do stand the test of time. We are striving to lasso the spirit of these iconic games and bring it galloping into the present to bring you an engaging experience throughout your adventure.
Rose & Locket's visuals emerged from years of inspiration, creativity, and developer experience, melding cinematic storytelling, action-adventure gameplay, and hand-drawn animation with cherished digital world influences.
Today’s deep-dive into the influences behind Rose & Locket has taken us from inspiration to in-game design. We’ve delved into our art and highlighted the influences from classic titles to comic aesthetics. As we continue on this exciting journey, we eagerly look forward to sharing more about our work.
In our next devlog we’ll dive into the process behind monster, character, and weapon design in Rose & Locket. Stay tuned for an exciting glimpse into these key aspects of our game, and follow us on social media & Discord to stay up-to-date on the latest updates and news
So long for now from the Underwest!
