"I chose this process because I wanted to hand-draw all the textures – the workflow is just very enjoyable for me."

It’s clear even at a glance that Mundaun is going for a very unique visual aesthetic. What was the process like of crafting the game’s hand-penciled look? Why did you decide to go with this particular style for Mundaun?

After researching what I wanted to make, I would sketch it out and then create the 3D model of that sketch. After that I would UV-unwrap the model and print out the UV map, which would then basically be a 2D representation of the 3D model. After that I traced the outlines of the map onto a fresh paper and then drew the different parts for the model I’m working on with pencil. That is then scanned back in and put on the 3D model. There’s always an element of surprise there when first applying the 2D drawings to the 3D model.

I chose this process because I wanted to hand-draw all the textures – the workflow is just very enjoyable for me.

What’s interesting about Mundaun’s art style is how successfully it makes the game’s environments look beautiful yet bleak and desolate at the same time. My question to you as the developer is, did the game’s tone from the art style, or did you choose the art style because of the tone you wanted to go for?

They go hand in hand, and I think I decided on the tone of Mundaun as well as using pencil pretty much at the same time. As the game started taking shape, it was always an interplay of the atmosphere, art style, story, world. All of those things are just different aspects of what I wanted the game to be like and feel like.

Mundaun makes use of a lot of folklore of myths in its story and setting. What was the inspiration behind making these elements such an important part of the experience?

I like folktales and myths a lot and was obsessed with some of them when I was a child. What I really enjoy about them is the dark tone but also the humour and how grounded they are in a place. Often, they are very brief and to the point, and strange and supernatural things just happen in them with no explanation given. It is just part of that world and it is all the more mysterious and intriguing.

Mundaun uses fear as a gameplay mechanic in quite an interesting fashion, but was it challenging for you as a developer to ensure that it struck the right balance? For instance, were you ever concerned that the mechanic could effectively be punishing poorly performing players even further?

Yes, it was always important to me to not punish players and make sure Mundaun was fun for them, as well as have them be interested more in the story and atmosphere than in hardcore survival gameplay. So it is very feasible to play the game in a very cautious manner, trying to avoid contact with the enemy creatures completely. On the other hand, it is possible to engage in combat, but then you need to act smart to not succumb to fear and be overwhelmed. It was important for me to have combat and enemies that can hurt you resulting in a genuine sense of threat. So the sense of dread of the atmosphere is actually backed up by the game mechanics.

"I think Mundaun is a game that isn’t built around a series of enemy encounters with some story sequences in between them. I always looked at Mundaun from the viewpoint of the whole experience, as the player goes through a kind of odyssey, never knowing what would happen next."

Did you ever consider making combat a more central element of the game during development? Is it de-emphasized to suit the needs of the game and the story, or was it something that arose because of production and development-related reasons?

I think Mundaun is a game that isn’t built around a series of enemy encounters with some story sequences in between them. I always looked at Mundaun from the viewpoint of the whole experience, as the player goes through a kind of odyssey, never knowing what would happen next. I tried to add the enemies to the world in an organic way. The journey of the player comes first. I didn’t want the game to settle into a predictable rhythm of fight, story, fight, story etc.

Do you have any plans to bring the game to the Switch?

Yes, we are working with MWM Interactive to bring Mundaun to Nintendo Switch, so stay tuned.

In Mundaun, you play as a young man who travels to a remote village in the Swiss Alps after receiving word of his grandfather’s death, and quickly upon arrival, you realize that things are not what they seem. The circumstances surrounding his death are mysterious, the town itself is eerily desolate, its residents are acting strange, and it’s clear that somehow, a malevolent, evil power is either responsible for all of this, or is at least heavily involved. Your grandfather, a former soldier who fought in a bloody war, had something in his past that is connected to what’s going on, and you slowly learn new bits and pieces of information about that past, which in turn help defog the game’s central mystery.

"Give it even a single glance, and Mundaun will grab your attention, and though inconsistencies here and there might prove a little frustrating, the game on the whole is still one that’s worth experiencing."

The core narrative setup is an engaging one. It’s not particularly unique, and the story that plays out is largely straightforward, but all of that works in the game’s favour. It feels focused and tight, and rather than trying to wow you with dramatic twists and long-winded revelations, Mundaun instead chooses to put all of its energy into telling a relatively narrow story, and telling it well. It’s not the most incredible tale that’s ever been spun in a game, but it does its job- especially since what the game is really focusing on first and foremost is not storytelling, but atmosphere.

And when it comes to atmosphere, Mundaun is a great accomplishment. The titular village of Mundaun is a creepy place. It’s sparsely populated, its denizens are usually seen off in the distance, both moving and talking weird. At night, strange creatures roam the hilly environments silently, and the mountains throw looming shadows against the pale moonlight, while during the day, everything looks bleak and washed out. All of this is accompanied by solid music, which strikes that perfect balance between being just good enough to be noticeable, but never so dramatic or so full of flourishes that it overpowers a scene.

The lion’s share of the work being done in the atmosphere department – and most other departments, if I’m being honest – is by the game’s gorgeous art style. Every object, every person, every texture you see in the game was drawn by a pencil before it was imported into a software, and it looks great, lending the game an impressionistic beauty that shies away from giving anything much too much detail. The aesthetic that this achieves gels with Mundaun’s tone and atmosphere perfectly- you never quite feel like you’re in a real place, or talking to real people. It all feels unsettlingly ethereal, and I doubt the game would have been able to achieve that with any other kind of visual style.

"Every object, every person, every texture you see in the game was drawn by a pencil before it was imported into a software, and it looks great, lending the game an impressionistic beauty that shies away from giving anything much too much detail."

Where Mundaun is far more inconsistent is the gameplay department. Most of the focus here is on exploring your surroundings, looking for items and objects, and then figuring out where those items need to be used. There’s a little bit of combat and stealth peppered in here and there as well, but largely, the game puts most of the emphasis on puzzle solving and exploration. For the most part, that works well within Mundaun’s framework. The story in this game is a slow burn, so it makes sense that the gameplay takes its time with things as well. The puzzles, too, are largely well-designed, if not exactly spectacular, and do a good job of keeping you engaged for the most part.

The issue arises when the game is a bit too vague about what it wants you to do. Early on in the game, for instance, you’re told to light a candle on a windowsill in your grandfather’s old house- but there are multiple windowsills, and I spend a good five to ten minutes lighting and relighting the candle on the wrong one, wondering why the game wasn’t progressing forward, even though I had done what it wanted me to do. Often, you’re told to open locked doors, which more often than not involves a lot of trial and error, as you try using every key in your inventory to see what works, since the game’s inventory doesn’t have any descriptive text for any of the items.

Then there are other moments where the criteria for progressing is a bit too specific or arbitrary, like looking at a specific distant figure, or talking to a person twice before being the game removes an invisible wall in front of a gaping exit. One-off instances like these are not uncommon in any game, but they crop up in Mundaun with more regularity than they should, which hurt the pacing of the gameplay and, in turn, the story’s progression. Meanwhile, combat and stealth are also largely disappointing. Combat in this game is heavily de-emphasized, but even if it weren’t, I wouldn’t have recommended engaging with it, given how clunky it can feel. Stealth, meanwhile, is serviceable, but often feels too low-stakes, which can take away from the otherwise solid atmosphere and tension the game keeps building up.

"One-off instances like these are not uncommon in any game, but they crop up in Mundaun with more regularity than they should, which hurt the pacing of the gameplay and, in turn, the story’s progression."

Owing to its very nature, Mundaun might not be a game that everyone can enjoy. It likes to take its time with things, it can often be a bit too opaque, and if you’re looking for a blockbuster visual experience with cutting-edge graphics and shiny reflections in large puddles on the ground, you’re not going to find that here. What this is is a unique, unsettling experience, one that tells a solid story that is rife with spooky entities and hellish nightmares. The pencil-drawn art is absolutely gorgeous, and gives the game a very unique, very distinct identity, and even through occasional moments of frustration brought about with gameplay issues, I felt compelled to keep pushing forward. There’s something here that horror enthusiasts will definitely enjoy, and even though it might not become one of your favourite horror experiences of all time, Mundaun is still a game that deserves your attention, at least for one playthrough.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

It’s been a long time coming but finally the sequel to the cult classic about being as a super villain and building a lair with traps is releasing. Evil Genius 2: World Domination features four geniuses to play with each having to build a unique doomsday device while thwarting the Forces of Justice. You can have multitudes of minions skilled in either getting their hands dirty, deception or research and science. If you just want to go wild and make the craziest lair possible, Sandbox mode offers everything unlocked from the get-go. Evil Genius 2: World Domination releases on March 30^th, exclusively for PC.

Monster Hunter Rise

From the New World all the way to Kamura Village, Monster Hunter Rise retains many of the tenets of Monster Hunter World while introducing some new mechanics. All 14 iconic weapon trees are here but players can use the new Wirebug to execute different maneuvers, from evades to special weapon abilities, and truly mix things up. New monsters and old join the fray from Tigrex and Mizutsune to Aknosom and Magnamalo. With the Rampage, Palamutes and monster riding, Monster Hunter Rise promises a brave new chapter for the series. It’s out on March 26^th for Nintendo Switch.

Balan Wonderworld

Yuji Naka, of Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights Into Dreams, returns with a new 3D platformer. Balan Wonderworld is a musical title, set in the strange Wonderworld as protagonists Leo and Emma interact with the mysterious Balan. As players explore 12 different stories, they’ll try to save certain characters whose hearts have gone astray. Utilizing over 80 different costumes, each with their own unique abilities, and even a Chao Garden-style mini-game called Isle of Times, Balan Wonderworld promises a nostalgic trip. It’s out on March 26^th for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.

It Takes Two

Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two recently went gold and director Josef Fares has been hyping it a lot, promising tons of variety and how you’ve “never played anything like it.” As such, the game looks like a fun action-packed, platforming adventure with upbeat visuals and a heart-warming story. It even has Fares himself as a talking book because of course it does. As a co-op title, It Takes Two also provides a Friend’s Pass so that another player can go through the entire game with you for free. The game releases on March 26^th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

How would you go about solving crimes? Would you methodically investigate? Manipulate the world’s denizens? Or just spend all of your time dancing? In Disco Elysium, you can do all of this. The Final Cut builds on this further, adding new characters and cutscenes, over 150,000 words to its script count and a full English VO among other features. Four quests that were originally cut have also been restored and there are even new animations and art. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is out in March for PS4, PS5, Google Stadia and PC. PC owners even get it as a free upgrade, making it the perfect time to jump back in.

Monster Truck Championship

With all of the big racing games coming up, it’s nice to have titles like Monster Truck Championship. Choose one of 16 different monster trucks and tear through 25 different arenas. Along with a Career Mode, Drag Races and Destruction-style events, players can partake in freestyle competitions to pull off wheelies and other stunts. With over 50 elements to customize and independent front and rear wheel control, Monster Truck Championship doesn’t skimp on the realism either. Currently available for PC, Monster Truck Championship will be coming to Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on March 16^th with 4K/60 FPS support on both platforms.

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4

Fans of Milestone S.r.l.’s Monster Energy Supercross series have even more extreme races to look forward to. Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4 arrives on March 11^th for PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. There are more than 100 riders to choose from in the 450SX and 250SX categories with players having 17 tracks set in 11 stadiums for the season. A new Career Mode is also available and allows for learning in different categories, from mastering new abilities in “Future” to taking on the toughest challenges in the “Pro” category. And of course, the robust track editor and compound will be returning as well.

Mundaun

The premise starts in simple, hand-penciled fashion – your grandfather has died in a fire and you venture back to Mundaun to find out why. The gorgeous aesthetic gives way to a terrifying experience with strange creatures roaming the land. Fear has a tangible effect on the player, causing one to move slower depending on its intensity. As you explore the landscape and eventually climb the mountain, you’ll either discover the terrifying truth or die trying. Mundaun is out on March 16^th for PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

Maquette

Imagine a modern-day story of love, except told via an MC Escher-style world of recursive puzzles. In a nutshell, Maquette is a first person title which challenges the players to re-imagine their perspective on things. In this strange surreal world, zooming in turns you large and everything small but makes the world outside is large and daunting. It sounds strange but over time, players will learn more of Michael and Kenzie, their relationship and how to deal with love and loss. Maquette is out on March 2^nd for PS4, PS5 and PC.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time was quite the dimension-hopping adventure when it first released for Xbox One and PS4. It had tons of levels, challenges like Flashback levels and N. Verted Mode, and multiple playable characters. While not being quite as successful as N. Sane Trilogy, the sequel gets a new leash on life for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. It releases on March 12^th for those platforms (and later this year for PC), offering 4K/60 FPS gameplay on the Xbox Series X and PS5. Faster loading times, DualSense support for Neo Cortex’s blast and Tawna’s Hookshot, and even Activity Cards on the PS5 are all supported. Those who purchased the title on Xbox One or PS4 are also in luck since they’ll receive a free upgrade for Xbox Series X/S and PS5.