Tchia is inspired by GTA, Zelda, and the island nation of New Caledonia

you may see Chia Reminds me of Link’s Glider The Legend of Zelda Breath of the WildYou may also be reminded of open water sailing from Wind WakerBut Phil Crifo, co-founder of developer Awaceb, thinks there’s a better comparison. Grand Theft Auto.

“The tone and themes are very different, but I think of it that way. [GTA developer Rockstar] Building fictional worlds based on real places and allowing you to get the essence of those real places built into video game worlds, a real inspiration for how to deal with representations of New Caledonia. ration,” said Crifo. I told Porygon.

Chiais a new open-world wilderness exploration game for children set in a fictional version of New Caledonia, a small island nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean. This is where Crifo and several other members of the development team grew up. All voice actors are also local to the island. Rockstar has long created fictional stand-ins for real-world locations, including Liberty City (New York), San Andreas (California), Vice City (Miami), and Los Santos (Los Angeles). For Awaceb’s developers, creating an open-world playground meant drawing inspiration from Rockstar’s ability to turn real geography into fun.

“When you grew up playing GTA with your friends, there was a moment where everyone was like, ‘Can you imagine GTA taking place in our hometown?'” says Crifo. “We did it a little Chia”

But instead of drug dealers and guns, Chia is about a titular child and her ability to transform into anything in her environment, including rocks, cameras, birds, and burning coals.just like grand theft auto 5‘s Trevor Philips can turn into a baseball bat or a dirty t-shirt.

Cliffo in New Caledonia Chia It wasn’t about nailing geography, it was about evoking the spirit of the archipelago. “What’s the atmosphere like? What’s it like to live there? What are the people like? What are the core details that give you a smell, a taste? It’s very tricky to do this,” he said Crifo. say. Chia Filtered through the lens of a fantastic childhood in New Caledonia, it drips with the culture and influences of the islands.

Image: Awaceb/Kepler Interactive

It’s that sense of childhood wonder that brings to mind the Legend of Zelda comparison. Kurifo said he wasn’t a big fan of The Legend of Zelda. Breath of the Wild sparked the idea of ChiaDevelopments such as choreographed landmarks and gliders allow Tchia to hover over vast expanses of land.Awaceb is a team of 12 people. Breath of the Wild it wasn’t an option. But despite this, it still manages to evoke a strong sense of place.

ChiaA defining feature of the is its tactile nature, says Crifo. He can make Tchia touch, pick up and throw objects. But you can be them too and feel the weight of things moving.This shape change complements music and instruments Chia, use real chords in rhythm minigames. Awaceb wanted players to feel the essence of the place. Cliffo pointed to climbing a palm tree. As the branches sway and rise higher, Tchia has weight. You can feel the snapping and flying as she uses the tree as a catapult to move around the world.(Crifo says her coconut tree climbing is big in New Caledonia and everyone has their own I have the technique of

“Miyamoto always said Zelda comes from a childhood of exploring caves and roaming the wilderness,” Cliffo said. “Chia Built with the exact same inspiration behind it. In that sense we have similar roots and have grown into very similar plants. ”