Wonderfall to rise up later this year

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Third-person adventure through decaying, reimagined 1920 Paris unveiled for Windows PC

The natural laws of the universe function in very tightly controlled balance, and when the balance is broken, that's when all hell tends to break loose. Like when mankind overreaches its right to be responsible stewards of the earth, as we'll soon see in a highly stylized, tangible way in Wonderfall, the upcoming 3D adventure by indie French developer Attaboy Interactive.

In a reimagined version of Paris, circa 1920, a "mysterious force known as Entropy is consuming monuments, streets, and lives." Slowly but surely, the entire city is falling prey to its destruction, "reducing its monuments and streets to sand and afflicting its inhabitants with unexplained ailments." With even top minds unable to explain what is happening, it falls to a young orphan named Léon to save the day. Only by using his newfound ability to manipulate sand can he fully explore the collapsing remnants of the great city to "uncover what Entropy truly is and what still remains beneath the decay," overcoming a variety of environmental challenges across the famous "Île de la Cité." 

Presented in a lovely, low-poly 3D art style, Wonderfall is a free-roaming third-person adventure that sees players running, jumping, and sneaking their both above and below ground, from the "crumbling métro tunnels [to] the rooftops of Paris," including visits to iconic locations like "Notre-Dame de Paris, Sainte-Chapelle [and] Palais de Justice" in between. While that may more like a platformer than adventure game, the key to success here isn't so much quick reflexes but rather strategic use of Léon's unique power to harness and use sand to his advantage, such as creating blocks or platforms to overcome obstacles, or even clones of himself to serve as distractions for stealth. 

While many games of this sort tend to skimp on story, that won't be the case here, as the developer promises a "contemplative, character-led experience" in a world "designed for observation and interpretation." Gradually pieces of the narrative puzzle will be revealed through "dialogue, cinematic moments, environmental storytelling, and written logs scattered across the city." Thorough exploration will lead to "over 2,000 lines of dialogue" that will progressively "shape a journey about collapse, consequence, and the fragile balance between humanity and nature." The city itself becomes a central character in your journey, as its various districts "shift under Entropy’s influence" and "hidden paths and forgotten interiors reveal fragments of the city’s past." Each new area exposes new insights into what's happened, and why, though even by the end of the projected 6-8 hour experience, you still may "not have every answer."

There is no firm target release date just yet, but Wonderfall is due to launch on Steam sometime later this year for Windows PC.