Purunmachu
A downloadable game for Windows and macOS
The Chachapoyas were a pre-Hispanic culture that developed in the Amazonian Andes of Peru. Historians call them “Tree People”, others "Warriors of The Clouds” because they were furious warriors that fought and flourished at great heights, at the edge of the Amazon rainforest.
The Chachapoyas cultivated a special relationship with their dead, using mortuary rituals and sarcophagi called "purunmachu" crafted at the face of the Andes mountain.
Some still hope to unveil the mysteries of the relationship with their ancestor. There are many theories of why this ritual existed in such inaccessible places; a challenging feat, but a worthy one: As we look up to the sky to see what came before us to remember, honor, and preserve their memories, the heritage of the Tree People.
Purunmachu is an explorer-type game in which you will be able to transport yourself to the Peruvian rainforest, at the edge of the "Sarcófago del Tigre", one important funerary site of the Chachapoyas: There you´ll face your desire. Are you saving a culture? Or helping with the destruction of your own heritage?
We want to make a game about the dangers of cultural theft. The experience could be divided into two halves: First, our protagonist does not realize that she is damaging her own heritage, but when confronted with it, she seeks redemption. The pieces that she steals, are not only pieces seen as objects but the vestige of her ancestral identity.
- Arrows or WASD - Moving
- Space - Grab objects and toggle in cutscenes
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Development log
- Game Update #002Mar 25, 2022
- Game Update #001Dec 16, 2021
Comments
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When I was young I remember owning small contraption where you would peak through a tiny hole in the front and inside you would see what appeared to be a 3D landscape of a jungle. I loved this thing and it baffled me in the beginning! Until I realised that the 3D image was just an illusion, created by many and many layers of 2D drawings in the correct positions creating this effect.
This is what the game immediately reminded me of! The most brilliant thing about this project is the way it handles environmental art and design. It uses a wide variety of fantastic 2D 'paper-like' drawings to create an immersive and atmospheric three dimensional depiction of a Peruvian rainforest. This is of course a method that has been previously used but here it succeeds so well in communicating the wonderful atmosphere and themes of the game. This is primarily achieved through the simple and delicate arstyle, the variety and density of assets as well as the wonderful color choices.
There is also much to be said about the unique cultural subject explored through this game but I think that's better left to be experienced first hand by the player! Great job!
Comments like this make games worth making :), thanks for enjoying it so much.
Can I just wander your jungle and not leave? It's so beautifully made! Hope to see further development for your game! ♥
Thanks for the beautiful comment! :)
This game is like a poem. The art style is gorgeous, and there's an incredible atmosphere -- I just loved wandering in that forest! And then the twist that you aren't saving objects, but in fact removing them from their homes. This game is a beautiful experience, even as short as it is. Thank you for making this.
Thank you for playing it!
We want to continue improving it.