ARIDA: Backland's Awakening
2019 video game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ARIDA: Backland's Awakening (formerly known as Projeto Sertão[3]) is an adventure game and survival video game developed by Aoca Game Lab. The game was released in August 2019, exclusively for Windows, through digital distribution on the Steam platform. The player experiences the journey of Cícera, a young countrywoman who needs to overcome obstacles imposed by hunger and drought in the Brazilian backlands of the 19th century.
| ARIDA: Backland's Awakening | |
|---|---|
| |
| Developer | Aoca Game Lab |
| Publisher | Aoca Game Lab |
| Director | Filipe Pereira |
| Designers | Filipe Pereira, Vinícius Santos, Gildevan Dias |
| Programmers | Laiza Camurugy, Túlio Duarte, Anderson Sampaio Carapiá |
| Artists | Victor Cardozo, Jocivaldo Bigod, Daniel Argôlo |
| Composers | Aldemar Júnior, Tharcísio Vaz |
| Series | ARIDA |
| Engine | Unity engine |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows Android iOS |
| Release | August 15, 2019[1] June 15, 2022 (Android)[2] |
| Genres | Adventure and Survival |
| Mode | Single-player |
Development
Arida was developed by a team of eight independent developers from the Bahia studio Aoca Game Lab, a studio founded by a historian, Filipe Pereira.[3][4] The game received funding from SECULT - Secretary of Culture of the State of Bahia, through Edital Culturas Digitais FCBA 2014.[5]
The game's atmosphere is inspired by the Canudos Region of the late 19th century, a region hit by a great drought.[6] In order to portray the environment as faithfully as possible, the team of developers traveled to the Canudos region and spent a few days observing the region.[3]
Gameplay
Arida is set in the Canudos Region of 1896.[6] Throughout the game, Cícera will have to overcome the obstacles imposed by the extreme drought. During the narrative, she will take part in historical facts like the War of Canudos (1896–1897).[7][8] For this, the player needs to gather resources, and learn survival strategies to continue the journey, such as harvesting and cooking cassava to eliminate hunger, dig wells in search of water and cooperate with other characters.[9] The main challenge is learning to deal with the tools and inputs available, and manage the resources in the best possible way.[10]
Reception
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5th BIG Festival | BIG Starter | Nominated | [12] |
| 2017 | Gamepólitan 2017 | Best Art | Won | [1] |
| 2018 | SBGames 2018 | Best Narrative | Nominated | [13] |
| 2019 | Nordic Discovery Contest | Brazil Round | Nominated | [14] |
| 2019 | SBGames 2019 | Best Narrative | Nominated | [15] |
| Best Game | Nominated | |||
| Best Design | Nominated | |||
| Best Audio | Nominated |