Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Team KwaKwa, a game developer from Lausanne, showcased its brand-new game “Helvetii” at the Tokyo Game Show 2022. After four years of preparations, visitors of the indie game section could try out an early version on a Nintendo Switch. KwaKwa will release “Helvetii” before the year’s end for the Switch, Sony Playstation 4, and the platform Steam for $15, EUR 15, and CHF 15.
The game “Helvetii” exploits Helvetian and Gaulish mythos and features a beautiful art style (© KwaKwa).
Helvetian mythos
The 2D character action game “Helvetii” revolves around the exploration and reimagining of the Gaulish and Helvetian myth, mixed with fast and varied combat mechanics. The beautiful art style is inspired by Vanillaware titles such as “Muramasa Rebirth” and “Odin Sphere Leiftrasir”, as well as titles like “Binding of Isaac”.
In 2016, the designer and artist Kevin Peclet started to research the Gaulish and in particular Helvetian legends. The main base was taken from “La mythologie de la Suisse Ancienne” (R. Christinger and W. Borgeaud), as well as “L’an -58, les Helvetes” (G. Kaenel), “La Saga des Helvetes” by Pierre Lartigue and other research on Celtic, Burgundy and Germanic mythology.
Three characters
Peclet also looked at the Swiss myth in a broader sense to include iconic creatures such as the Tschaeggaetaes or the Tatzelwurm. Lost treasures, ancient burial mounds, curious owl shopkeepers, and altars containing the essence of powerful gods await the players, scattered across the land. A disgruntled war chief, a snarky fox, or a wise druid – these three characters with their unique style and special attacks help the players dominate legions of monsters.
Team KwaKwa is a small swiss-based independent studio established back in 2015 by Péclet and Elias Farhan. The team strives to achieve the old “Swiss made” label of quality, and wants to keep high standards for its games as well as bring its love for fun, arcade-like games with fresh creative takes. It has previously released the party multiplayer brawler game “Splash Blast Panic” and is now working on both “Helvetii” and “Soup Raiders”.
Members of game developer team KwaKwa from Lausanne, Switzerland, at their Tokyo Game Show booth (© KwaKwa via Twitter).
Ambitious team
The team for Helvetii is comprised currently of Péclet as lead artist and designer, as well as Isabelle Roesch for programming, Julie Baechtold as an artist, and Greg Bedford as Sound Designer. It also collaborates with composer Dale North and singer Emi Evans for the music through Scarlet Moon Productions.
Text: SCCIJ with material of KwaKwa
