HW_01 Amandine Gendolo

 

Samurai Jack Game revisited: Creative Design Brief

Circumstances and Story

In a world where magic is present everywhere, some people, in extremely rare cases, can be linked by their power and become what is called power twins (Jumoir). Through this bond, the two magicians will share a unique link, which will connect and increase their power tenfold, making them like gods capable of razing entire villages. Linked by soul and blood, if one of them dies, the other will lose his life as well. For centuries, only one pair of twins appeared, and the magic in the hands of the two benefactors made the people prosper for years. Until the day when a new union shook the sky with a flash of violent magic, new twins appeared. Violent by nature and eager to rule, they learned from their predecessors, only to overthrow them.

In the years that followed, the people were persecuted, impoverished, and magic was a rare commodity, reserved exclusively for the use of the councilors and the Jumoirs. The people, the children, and anyone who showed a talent for using magic were executed to prevent, however rare this is, the formation of a pair of jumoirs. It was during this era of terror that Lack, living in a poor village, considered by the kingdom as unlikely to give birth to a great mage, was born. One day he met a man whose union, like a shock, changed his life forever. He and Ewen now shared more than friendship or love, they were suddenly aware that they would be hunted until their death.
It is years later that we find them, as powerful and determined as ever, they are finally preparing, surrounded by powerful allies, to finally show their face to the tyrants sowing death to find them for years.

It is on the eve of the rebellion that Ewen, far from his half and taking the air of the forest before the great battle, comes face to face with a being that no one would like to cross. It is a baby, a creature abandoned by its mother, starving and groaning for help. This species is called the snatchers, creatures that once inhabited the green nature of the kingdom and fed on the magic of plants and other animals. Considered dangerous because they could absorb the entire power of a human, they were killed on sight and are now endangered. The biggest ones who have accumulated a lot of power are named "Baku", and are beings with power equivalent to a god. Ewen, aware of this information, raised his hand in panic and let the deadly blue glow escape.
It was with a twinge that Lack fell out of his chair, and rushed towards the place where his destiny was leading him. What he found horrified him... Lying in the clearing was his twin, his better half, staring blankly at him. His heartbreaking cry made the forest move and the creature moved behind the body, its gaze turned towards this noisy individual. Having understood the horror of what had just happened, Lack felt his hands catch fire and then realized that killing this creature would mean his end, the powers of his friend living in this thing, he would leave with them.

Upset and fleeing the creature's gaze, Lack ran away from the forest, wanting to forget that a part of his soul had died today.
Years later, the magician is a shadow of his former self, the revolution never happened, the tyrants are still in power, and his magic is now a meager flame in his hands. At the end of his rope, Lack decides to find this creature that has taken everything away from him, and that has single-handedly reduced the hope of the people to nothing.

It is in this hunt that our story begins, a story of revenge and forgiveness.

Game genre and target audience

Platforms adventure

From 16 years old.

(mature story, possible blood, political issues etc...) + difficulty with a minimum of challenge.

Example of Gameplay

There could be a scene that would be the chase between the Snatcher and Lack, ending with Lack catching the frightened creature that ran away, whose paw could for example be stuck by a solid branch, preventing him to run away further, and pushing the protagist to revise his judgement out of pity for an innocent creature that didn't voluntarily cause his loss. It is often the huge creature represented as the threat that in a game pursues the player. It could be interesting to reverse the roles and have us be the pursuer of the large creature running away from the small one.

Character and social statues :

Lack

He is the leader of the rebellion alongside Ewen. Endowed with extraordinary powers and trained to use them, he will become more powerful than the high twins at the head of the country, and wishes to overthrow their government. Hunted by the Jumoirs, he prepares to face them one day and was, before the tragic loss of his twin, the only hope of the people.

The Snatcher Baku

Creatures feared, shunned and killed by men and therefore endangered. The reason is that they are able to absorb the magic from the surrounding nature, but also from the people, in order to survive. They are pacifists, and feed mostly on the energy of small animals, insects etc... The most voracious and ancient ones can become extremely dangerous, because once the magic is absorbed, they also steal its power, hence their name.

Magical powers source

Magic is everywhere, it is distributed unevenly in individuals when they are born. Creating inequalities of power, it very rarely allows two individuals to melt into each other by a simple touch (soul transfer). This increases their strength tenfold and makes them as powerful as gods.

Technological level

Everything works thanks to magic, a simple magic, without embellishment and not very powerful, used for basic tasks. The great magic is reserved for the twins who, through their advisors, make sure to eliminate all the powerful ones that could potentially becoming twins in their turn.

Different law of physic

It will be possible to go from one universe to another. Unique places, connected by a rare source of magic, could transport an individual to the other side. It is said that the Baku have the ability to move from one world to another.

Time Period

Balinor is an imaginary world, which does not correspond to a known period. Technology works with magic, making everything accessible and simple. There are no networks, telephones and all the technologies of the 21st century in our world.
Electricity also works with magic, transportation etc.
You could imagine our world in the 18th century, in Ireland/Brittany (building design, stone, old inn, medieval fantasy/arthurian, green and sacred forest etc.), with transport facilities, technology all connected with magic.

Where

Balinore is a large kingdom, surrounded by green plains and deep forests. The capital city is the home of the grand twins, the head of the kingdom. In a distant region livea the rebels. Surrounded by the forest of spirits, they dissuade visitors from venturing into this area. This world coexists with two others in harmony. Everyone knows they exist, but very few know how to get there.

Reference Universe/games

-the last guardian

-ori and the blind forest/will of the wisp

-rayman legends (musical levels)

-Game of thrones (Universe, scene where Cersei kill children in fear that they are the sons of her husband etc)

-Outlander (Irish universe, legends etc)

-Disney movies Rebel (universe)

-Kena Bridge of Spirits