Hello Current and Future Grove Keepers!
As we prepare for Next Fest, we wanted to post up some FAQs about some of the background and aspects of the game. If you have any more questions, feel free to let us know and we'll answer it!
Q: What are your inspirations behind Beyond the Grove?
A: Beyond the Grove was primarily inspired by an old Starcraft custom game called “Golem Wars”. In the game, there were large, chaotic battles with varying Golems that you could create based on certain recipes. It was great, but not without its flaws: it was an RTS where micro/APM/twitch reflexes were important, each match could last 30 or more minutes, and the controls were restricted by the modding tools. We wanted to take the essence of that, and modify it to a game that we think modern gamers would enjoy. We pulled in other inspirations like Super Auto Pets or Cult of the Lamb for the art style, and instrumental music from games like Hollow Knight. We also knew we wanted it to feel like an RTS but actually be an autobattler - so we drew inspiration from games like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator or Mechabellum for the autobattler aspects. Finally, we knew we wanted it to be a roguelite, as we’re all fans of the genre - we drew inspiration from Balatro, Vampire Survivors, and The Last Spell for the roguelite components.
Q: What type of difficulty can I expect in Beyond the Grove?
A: Much like other Roguelites, it will be very difficult to “win” the first time you play. As you play, not only will you learn better strategies, but you will also gain in power with skills that stay with you. The game is designed to be “easy to play, hard to master,” so I think the difficulty can adjust to your skill level and how much you want to invest.
Q: What does a run in Beyond the Grove look like?
A: You start off with one or two elements and the skills that you’ve earned thus far. Once you get into the run, you gain more upgrades (known as Blessings in-game) and elements. As the run continues, you’ll be summoning larger and more powerful Golems to deal with the varying challenges each level brings. At the end, you’ll be facing off against a boss battle, in which your decisions up until that point are put to the test.
Q: Golems are a big part of the gameplay. Can you explain more about what they are and how unique they are compared to the mushroom troops?
A: Golems are the specialized weapons in your arsenal. Each one has its own stats and attacks, which complement your armies in different ways. Not only do Golems fit a certain role in your army (tanks, assassins, bruisers, control mages, etc), they also have elemental attacks that can exploit the elemental weaknesses of other Golems. The mushroom troops are just your basic unit. They are equipped with little stick spears and do a respectable amount of damage, but are flimsy and easily disposed of.
Q: What went into the music? What was the process of finding the right musical piece to attach to each new Golem that is created?
A: We wanted the soundtrack to be adaptive, but also to contribute to world-building and immersion. During the battles, each element the player summons is assigned to an instrument and the instrument’s idiosyncratic musical gestures; for example, fire is depicted by the rapid movement and expressiveness of the violin, earth is grounded by the low tones of the cello, the flowing of water is matched by the smooth runs played by the clarinet, and so on. While composing, each instrument’s contribution to this musical fabric had to be interesting enough on its own but also perfectly intertwined with other members of the ensemble. This way, the players’ in-game decisions not only influence gameplay, but also the score.
Since the game features hand-drawn art and recognizable characteristics such as anthropomorphic mushrooms, the music accompanies this with mostly acoustic instruments performed by a small ensemble of musicians. This helps create an atmosphere that feels natural to the player.
Q: Can you explain what Blessings are and what they do?
A: Blessings are temporary modifications to either yourself or your units. They come in different rarities and can change your playstyle for the run. For example, you might want to go heavy into upgrading your Golem’s attacks and health, or you might want to focus on unit movement speed to take control of the map and provide reinforcements more quickly. There are over 100 Blessings, and some are hidden behind prerequisite Blessings, so we’re excited to see what combinations players come up with.
Q: Where can I report bugs or glitches that I’ve run into?
A: Feel free to post on the Community Page
https://steamcommunity.com/app/3516420/discussions/0/
or you can chat with us on Discord!
Thanks for reading!