An invented archipelago with a real influence
Tchia crosses a fictional archipelago while trying to rescue her father from Meavora. Lagoons, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and islands support different kinds of exploration. The world draws on New Caledonian cultures without reproducing a literal map of New Caledonia. Official Steam description
Awaceb’s founders grew up in New Caledonia. Game director Phil Crifo describes local performers voicing characters in traditional languages, with Kanak choirs and musicians contributing to the soundtrack. The influence comes through collaborators as well as the landscapes that inspired the studio. Awaceb: New Caledonian influences
Climb, launch, and cross
The studio also pursued physical, toy-box movement. Trees are simulated and climbable; a springy coconut tree can launch Tchia into the air. The setting becomes something to use in travel, rather than scenery surrounding a prescribed path. Awaceb: New Caledonian influences
Free climbing, gliding, and swimming handle local movement, while a customizable sailing boat connects more distant shores. Reefs and shipwrecks invite going below the surface, giving the same archipelago routes across land, over water, and through its submerged environments. Official Steam description
Borrowed movement
Soul Jumping changes those routes again. Crifo describes birds as a quick way over cliffs, though their flight rapidly consumes the Soul Meter. Dolphins provide speed in the ocean and can leap above the surface, making borrowed movement specific to the chosen animal. Awaceb: animal movement
The mechanic also includes physical objects, so nearby surroundings become possible means of movement. Switching between them is part of the designers’ toy-box approach. Traversal depends on noticing available forms as well as deciding which destination to pursue. Awaceb: animal movement
Tools for noticing and changing things
Other tools include a flashlight, compass, camera, and slingshot. Taking a dog’s form can help locate treasure. These smaller interactions sit beside climbing and sailing, giving investigation its own place in a journey otherwise defined by changing movement capabilities. Official Steam description
Tchia’s playable ukulele brings sound into exploration. Unlockable melodies can attract animals or call rainfall, while story moments use rhythm. Music thus participates in the fictional world’s systems as well as carrying the contribution of performers from the creators’ homeland. Awaceb: New Caledonian influences
Sources & further reading
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