Set to release in 2023, Fall of Porcupine is a cute 2D platformer with anthropomorphic characters. Players take the role of a pigeon named Finley in a town called Porcupine as they adventure between their daily life and their job in the healthcare system. The indie game looks like it could be a sequel to Night in the Woods, as it seems to have a lot in common. However, it is made by a new indie developer: Buntpecht Games.
Night in the Woods was an indie game that captured the hearts of many players for its profound reflective tone mixed with humor. Despite its adorable design, it explored serious themes of uncertainty for the future, youth disenfranchisement, and underemployment. While there are no plans for a sequel to Night in the Woods, fans should definitely keep an eye out for Fall of Porcupine, as it seems to be the perfect game for Night in the Woods fans.
What Is Known About Fall of Porcupine So far
The Fall of Porcupine has a demo available on Steam and is set to release sometime in 2023 for PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5. Reviews from GameStar and IndieCup already compare it to Night in the Woods, and it is hard not to. The town of Porcupine is very reminiscent of Night in the Woods' Possum Springs, and not only for the name. Like Possum Springs, Porcupine is described to be a sleepy town in which fall is beginning to stir.
What also ties this game to Night in the Woods is its gameplay. The player will get to explore the town, talk to an interesting cast of characters, and make dialogue choices that can influence relationships. A wide range of dialogue is advertised on Steam, with the game including serious, funny, and profound moments. The Steam page also hints that the town may have dark secrets and that some characters may be dishonest.
With all this commonality to Night in the Woods, it is important to also note what sets this game apart. It is looking like the biggest thing that will set The Fall of Porcupine apart from Night in the Woods is its focus on healthcare. Finley will spend a lot of time working in the local hospital, St. Ursula, and there are expectations that the game will explore the flaws of the healthcare system. Now, players of different cultural backgrounds may have different expectations on this topic. It is worth knowing that the development team behind this game is based in Germany and that they are going to explore problems particularly in the western healthcare system.
While exploring the theme of flawed healthcare systems, the player will seem to actually work with patients. The players will diagnose patients and report to the head doctor. The trailer showed simple mechanics involved with being a doctor, such as giving shots. Game-News 24 reported that Buntspecht Games actually interviewed over 20 patients and hospital staff in order to make the game authentic.
Another difference in the story from Night in the Woods is that Finley will be a new face in Porcupine. Also, since Finley is a pigeon, they will be able to glide as well as walk and jump. While anthropomorphic, it looks like The Fall of Porcupine will also feature very different animals from those that were in Night in the Woods. Characters that can be seen so far via trailers include a cow, bulldog, sheep, goat, armadillo, and snow leopard.
Fall of Porcupine is set to release sometime in 2023 for PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Sources: Game-News 24