Welcome to our first devlog "Between Realities", where we'll update you each month on the latest developments and behind-the-scenes insights into our work on Among The Trolls!
Since our announcement in January, we've started sharing glimpses of the game's gameplay on our social media - where we highly recommend following us if you want to see them in real-time - and answering some questions on our official Discord.
Today, we'll shed some light on the work we've done over the past few months, our thoughts, and what you can expect to experience in the world of Among The Trolls.
STRONG FOUNDATIONS ARE KEY
As you already know, the project has been entirely rebuilt to transition from Unity to Unreal Engine 5, a crucial step on multiple levels. First, we wanted to leverage more advanced technology to achieve dynamic and realistic lighting, allowing us to better recreate the atmosphere of the Finnish forests - the primary inspiration for Among The Trolls' setting. On the other hand, this transition also impacted the art direction, leading us to revisit many assets and shaders to maximize their visual quality and reach a higher level of detail.
Once we made this decision and established the foundations, we spent the following months focusing on implementing the core gameplay mechanics, such as the survival systems that will define your time on the archipelago, resource management, environmental changes, and combat.
ENEMIES AND CHALLENGES
Once you set foot on the island, you'll quickly realize that the archipelago hides various threats, across different... realities. Learning how to survive among them will be crucial, as will understanding them to take advantage of their resources, nuances, and dangers. One of these threats comes in the form of hostile characters you'll encounter throughout your adventure, whose behavior has been a key focus of our work in recent months.
We want the enemies you face to have dynamic and responsive behavior, reacting to your actions and adapting to their surroundings. Each enemy will have a unique attack pattern: some will attack in packs, while others will prefer a different approach, using ambush tactics. It will be up to you to figure out the best way to fend them off and stay alive.
BETWEEN MYTH AND REALITY
We want Among The Trolls to be more than just a survival experience but, as you may have gathered, a true journey between different realities, separated only by a thin veil. The story follows Anna, the protagonist, looking for her missing grandfather and finding herself immersed in an unexpected world ruled by ancient forces and forgotten spirits.
The narrative we are crafting draws inspiration from Finnish mythology and the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic, shaping a setting where the boundary between reality and myth is dissolving. This will inevitably lead to the emergence of legendary creatures and supernatural phenomena, many of which are deeply rooted in folklore.
In the coming months, we hope to immerse you even further into the atmosphere we are meticulously crafting for this project.
At this point, all that’s left is to ask you to share your questions with us so that we can collect them for our next devlog!
We also invite you to follow us on our social media channels (X, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok) and join our official Discord to share your feedback and stay up to date on our progress.
See you soon, explorers!