Dala and the Cursed Forest: A new roguelike deckbuilder inspired by Thai mythology
Dala and the Cursed Forest is an upcoming roguelike deckbuilder game that combines the gameplay elements of “Slay the Spire” with the visuals of “Ori and the Blind Forest”, along with a touch of artistic inspiration from Vanillaware titles and Thai mythology.
The game is being developed by Thai game studio Zai, and the game director, Zai Nonae, wants to create a game that is not only challenging but also visually appealing and serene, with a cute and endearing touch.
The game will feature a card fusion mechanic that allows players to combine two cards to create more mighty cards, making synergy crucial to progress through the game. By accumulating enough power through card combinations, players can transform the main character, Dala, into powerful forms, each changing the gameplay. Moreover, the game will offer players the option to cook Thai cuisine and boost Dala’s powers even more.
One of the game’s standout features is the hand-drawn characters, which are inspired by Thai mythology and stories that hold a special place in the game director’s heart from their childhood. The game’s storyline is set in the mythological world of the Himmapan forest, where the consequences of power usage echo across the land. As a seed of hope, Dala strives to plan and purify the curse.
Dala and the Cursed Forest is currently in a close playtest phase, and a public demo is planned for later. It is available for wishlist on Steam, and an Early Access release is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2024.
