IP: Skullkeys
TYPE: 2D Action RPG (Metroidvania)
Overview
- Game inspired by Symphony of the night. Castle with zones.
- Savepoints spread across the world map (Metroid).
- Pixelgraphics.
- Music: Orchestral mixed with retrosounds.
- Upgrades: different weapons/spells, jumpshoe, potions…the usual.
- 8 Bosses spread across the map.
- PLAYTIME: 8h (ex: ca 1h on each biome.)
- PLAYER MODES: Singleplayer – storymode.
- TARGET PLATFORMS: WINDOWS, MAC OSX, LINUX
STORY (Short)
A temple is desecrated and an unholy spellbook is stolen. You play as Draven Grimspire who returns to life as the spellbook is removed from its resting place. Along with Draven’s return, a horde of monsters awakens in various parts of the world which Draven need to defeat in order to get the spellbook pages back.
STORY (full)
The scene opens with a black screen, setting an eerie atmosphere with the sound of chilling wind and raindrops echoing through a cold and desolate tomb. In the darkness, we hear deliberate footsteps, each one echoing ominously, as a man slowly makes his way deeper into the tomb, clutching a flickering torch that is the only source of light in this ghastly place.
The man’s journey leads him to an ancient, mysterious chamber within the tomb. There, he approaches an ominous-looking altar, the torchlight revealing a dusty, ancient spellbook resting upon it. The man reaches out and takes hold of the book, his fingers trembling as he flips through its pages.
With a sense of trepidation, the man utters an incantation from the book, the words “klaatu barada nikto” escaping his lips. As he does, torches lining the walls suddenly burst into life, illuminating the chamber in an eerie, flickering glow.
The earth itself seems to shudder in response to the incantation, and stones begin to rain down from the ceiling. The camera shakes, emphasizing the growing chaos and supernatural power being unleashed.
Realizing the dire consequences of his actions, the man dashes out of the chamber, clutching the spellbook tightly. His escape is punctuated by a lightning strike that forks down to the tomb’s depths, revealing a figure emerging from the ground. This immortal figure, now introduced as Draven Grimspire, speaks with an air of ancient wisdom and determination, declaring, “I live again…”
Draven, it is revealed, is the guardian of the spellbook and the watcher of the tomb. He now possesses the duty to find the book and return it to its rightful resting place within the tomb’s depths.
As Draven explores further into the tomb, he faces a challenge. The book is situated in an elevated location, beyond his current reach. However, his resourcefulness comes to the fore as he discovers a movable pillar that he can use to access the book’s location. With the pillar in place, he climbs to the second plane, determined to fulfill his task.
Continuing his journey, Draven encounters a formidable gate that bars his path. As he approaches, the gate ominously begins to close. Suddenly, two skeletons materialize, seemingly guardians of this forbidden passage. Draven, equipped with his newfound resolve, battles and defeats the skeletal sentinels. In response to their defeat, the gate creaks open, granting Draven access to the exit of the tomb.
Outside the tomb, the adrenaline still coursing through Draven’s veins, he discovers the spellbook, but to his dismay, the once-complete tome now appears ravaged. Its pages have been torn out, leaving only an empty husk of what was once a powerful repository of arcane knowledge. Draven’s eyes narrow with realization — the thief who had infiltrated the tomb must have known the incalculable value of the spells contained within the book.
With the key to the spells now missing, Draven’s quest takes a perilous turn. He understands that in order to regain his full potential and fulfill his duty as the guardian of the tomb, he must retrieve the missing pages. Each page holds invaluable incantations and secrets, and their absence leaves a void in Draven’s power.
The thief’s cunning becomes apparent as Draven learns that the stolen pages have been scattered and hidden at eight different locations throughout the treacherous world. It’s a deliberate attempt to hinder Draven’s progress and prevent him from reaching his full potential, as well as to safeguard the stolen knowledge for their own purposes.
Draven now faces a daunting challenge. His quest will take him on an epic journey across diverse and perilous landscapes, from haunted forests to desolate crypts, from cursed temples to shadowy citadels. Along the way, he’ll need to confront formidable adversaries, solve intricate puzzles, and decipher cryptic clues to locate each missing page.
As he embarks on this perilous odyssey, Draven must call upon his unique set of skills, honed over centuries, to reclaim the torn pages. He knows that the fate of the world hangs in the balance, for the stolen knowledge could potentially unleash untold chaos and destruction if it falls into the wrong hands.
The journey will not be easy, and Draven will need to draw upon his inner strength, his wits, and his courage to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. His determination burns bright as he sets out to recover the stolen pages and restore the lost spells to the sacred book, all while confronting the malevolent forces that seek to thwart his mission.
This is where the real adventure truly begins, as Draven Grimspire’s epic quest unfolds, filled with danger, mystery, and the hope of ultimately returning the stolen spells to their rightful place in the tomb.
You need to find the skull keys to unlock the gates to fetch the pages to the spellbook. The thief hid the skullkeys in eight secret locations. Apparently you need to find the skull keys which unlock the gates to the beasts guarding the spellbook pages.
BIOMES
Castle, caves, forest, iceworld, fireworld, desertworld, labyrinth, haunted mansion.
[Early Map concept]