Wildmender Preview: To Plant a Seed
My time on the show floor at PAX East saw me playing a variety of great games, many of which blended genres that I wouldn’t have normally jumped out of my seat for. This seemed to be the year, personally speaking, of discovering just how engaging genres I might not have considered “for me” can be. Set in a once vibrant, lush, and full of life world, Muse Games throws players on a journey to restore that vibrancy and life in their new gardening, survival adventure, Wildmender.
Much like its survival game counterparts, a good portion of my time with Wildmender saw me venturing into its desolate world to forage for resources. However, instead of bringing those resources back to a base, I was bringing them back to my garden or the specific location in the world I was rehabilitating. In fact, I was told specifically that the team wanted to steer players away from bases, building industrial locations, and indoor areas. This was meant to emphasize the connectivity to the natural world that Widmender and its narrative focuses so heavily on. This isn’t to say that the game will be without the ability to build and customize the land in personal and unique ways. Players will be able to build walkways, walls, and other outdoor flare for their gardens to really make them pop as they progress. Some of these structures, like the walls, will play a vital role in protecting your progress and the fruits of your labor from the ravages of the desert world. Dust devils that can uproot your gardens and sandstorms can be better protected against with the right structures and foresight when it comes to your gardens. Though I didn't get details on the damages a sandstorm can cause, they dwarf the dust devils in size and I could only infer the amount of destruction they could create.
Protection from the elements will be just one of the many factors that play into the needs and overall health of the different flora that you’ll discover, plant, and propegate. This is where the “gardening” aspect of this gardening-survival adventure really kicks in. The variability of soil, level of sunlight throughout a day, proximity to a water source, and even how crowded a specific plant can be all play into the quality of life it will have. These factors all differ from plant to plant as well making the process of discovery and successful growth into an almost intimate study of a particular subject.
The gardens that flourish under your care would be nothing without the gardener. That’s why learning how to take care of yourself is just as important as learning how to take care of your plants. The desert enviroment is unforgiving in Wildmender and given that this is a survival game meters like hunger and water will deplete, even more so if you spend your time adventuring under the relentless desert sun. Setting out at night will always be a better option when it comes to preserving your hunger and water meters. It still remains a mystery if shade from trees or ruins will negate the effects the sun has on you or if maybe there are plants that can only be found in the day or night. Perhaps forcing your hand if you want to discover and grow a specific type of plant. However, the desert sun affecting you the way it does makes scouting new locations or ruins you come across have a bit more strategic planning go into them. I found this not only to be a fun aspect but further sell me on the themes of this harsh desert I found myself traversing.
The narrative of Wildmender, while being painted in broad strokes, still seems to have a bit of mystery to it, hinting at the history of the lands themselves. Your character is informed by a spirit guardian named Vidyas who tells of the way the lands used to be - Green and filled with citizens of bustling civilizations. These civilizations lived under the influence of benevolent gods until ethereal creatures called wraiths worked to imprison them across the land. In the absence of these gods all life vanished from the world. I was told in my time with the demo that amongst all the daily tasks of surviving and gardening, players will be able to discover areas called “zones”. Zones are remnants of the old world that will be able to be restored by players. You’ll also be able to encounter the old ghosts of previous inhabitants. These ghosts will give you advice on how to better survive the harsh environment or how to better take on the wraiths. Amidst these activities players will also be able to come across statues of the gods where they will be able to communicate directly with them. Gods will be able to help craft in game items through a material called essence that will be replenished and restored by happy healthy plants.
Normally I wouldn’t be drawn to a straight up gardening game, but Wildmender seems to be far from that. Toting an ancient world with mysteries to uncover, a plethora of plants to learn about, harsh environments to overcome and bundling all these features together with the prospect of four player co-op this seems like something unique, fun, and wholly its own. Wildmender has a free demo available now on Steam and is set to release later this year for Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.
Written by Justin Hyde