Developer Chucklefish Games is gradually building a solid library of beloved games with titles like farming sim Stardew Valley and sci-fi RPG Starbound. While devs are still working on Stardew Valley‘s multiplayer update, we’ve learned a little more about a brand new project that’s in the works — a currently untitled RPG set in a magic school.
Chuckefish CEO Finn Brice recently tweeted the below peek at the game, stating that they have “learned a lot of lessons from working with Stardew.”
The pixel art style is beautifully similar to Chucklefish’s other games but with some more detail. It feels very Little Witch Academia, which could be exactly what the devs are going for. Back in January, Brice told PC Gamer the game is “an RPG/Sim set in a magic school, something like Stardew Valley meets Harry Potter.” I am so here for that.
As stated previously, the project does not have a confirmed title, but Brice posted this gif last October with the message, “This mockup has me even more Spellbound.” Also the gif is in the “Spellbound library” on gyfcat, so I think it’s safe the say the game has a title, albeit unofficially.
In addition to the mockup, Brice also posted the below “Art style demonstration” video last year. It’s short, and there isn’t too much going on. The description of the video says the style is one of a few developers were testing, and it does look more 16-bit than the more recent image above. So the final product will likely look a bit different. I’m loving that detailed avatar of Adria though.
So how much Stardew Valley are we getting, and how much Harry Potter will be thrown in? Brice also told PC Gamer, “Lots of the sim features are present, day night cycles, dating, classes, etc. But with some interesting gameplay twists.”
That definitely screams Stardew, which takes you through the game day by day, allows players to build relationships, and level up various skills. You can expect similar features in this magical new game, and although crafting hasn’t been mentioned specifically, this RPG-lover and Harry Potter fangirl is hoping for lots of craftable potions, talismans, weapons, furniture, and clothing.
Chucklefish’s games are also known for their ownable animals and aggressive beasties, so we could see some furry companions for our witches and wizards, along with monsters for them to fight in a Forbidden Forest-esque area. Now I’m just daydreaming about befriending pixelated centaurs and fighting goblins and ghouls with them… Sigh.
The studio is currently working with Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone to add multiplayer to Stardew, and beta testing for that is set to begin at the end of the year, according to a recent update. There’s no indication that Barone is involved with Chucklefish’s new project, but it’s clear the wizarding school RPG is at least taking inspiration from Stardew Valley… which took its inspiration from Harvest Moon.
What magical features are you hoping to see in Spellbound, or whatever it ends up being titled? Let us know in the comments below!
