E3 2015 will go down in the history books as one of the most explosive, earth-shattering, and unreal conferences in history, filled with moments that will long be remembered once the doors of the L.A. convention center close. There were other moments though. Quieter moments reserved for titles that while smaller in scope than others announced, still carry the hopes and dreams of those spending their time and energy to bring their art to the world.
One of those moments came during the EA conference on Monday when Coldwood Studios Creative Director Martin Sahlin took the stage to introduce their project, Unravel.
Sahlin’s excitement and nerves were apparent to the thousands in attendance both physically and online as he spoke about the responsibility game developers have to create something that goes beyond just entertainment.
“Games are really powerful things.” Sahlin said as he began his introduction to Unravel. “They have the ability to move you and grab you as few other art-forms can. And that gives us as game-makers, a certain level of responsibility, I think.” He said. “We should try to do more than to just entertain, and Unravel was created in that spirit.”
Sahlin then introduced the world to Unravel’s muse, a little figure that he created out of yarn dubbed, Yarny, who was created while Sahlin was on a family camping trip. The yarn that makes up the character of Yarny is said to represent the bonds of love between people, and the thread that runs though each of our lives and connects us to each other.
The story of Unravel centers around is about Yarny’s journey to re-connect the memories of a family, and help a lonely old woman reunite with the memories of the past.
Yarny’s woolly characteristics permeate the gameplay of this physics-based puzzle platform game. Yarny can use his yarn to swing over ledges, or create platforms that have some buoyancy. There were even images of him tying a bit of yarn to a leaf in order to create a kite, or to a fish to propel him through water.
Unravel’s stunning visuals juxtapose realistic backgrounds and environments with the whimsical nature of Yarny as a character to create something that looks like it could be very unique. It’s a tale that is supposed to be about heart, and the team at Coldwood is infusing all of theirs into it’s creation.
“Unravel means a lot to us at Coldwood. We put our hearts into this, and we hope that you feel that when you play.”
Unravel is in development for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. No release date has been announced.
Stay tuned to NerdBacon for more info on Unravel, as well as all the big news from E3 2015 right here.
Written by The Watchman
He’s also an actor, a reporter, a pro wrestling connoisseur, and some say he’s a cat whisperer.
If you have any questions or just want to drop me a line, hit me up at thewatchman@butthole.nerdbacon.com
Or follow me on Twitter @DavetheWatchman
You can also game with me!
Look me up on Xbox Live @ DJKhadoken
Or on PlayStation Network @ Eaglevision_dl
