Few people would be inclined to associate beekeeping with relaxation. Even putting aside potential bee phobias, the bulky attire, threat of stings, and constant buzzing amidst manual labor sounds like a chore, but Elliott and Jamie, the pair of brothers bringing Apico to life, are looking to introduce gamers to the serene side of bee husbandry. Elliott, the lead programmer of the indie development duo TNgineers stated Apico was inspired by an early beekeeping mod for Minecraft, which he played to unwind.
In a sea of daunting soulslikes, roguelikes, battles royale, and other competitive or high stress titles, a market has emerged with an appetite for comfort games—especially those following the trending "cottagecore" aesthetic. Apico clearly aspires to serve this audience, inviting players to "get cozy" on the game's Steam listing. They also specifically chose Whitehorn Digital as a publisher due to its track record of publishing heartwarming, comfortable games.
But how does one design with coziness in mind? Even though challenging players is not the point, the game has to have enough depth to captivate players and transport them away from the stresses of reality. A large part of finding that successful formula, which other comfort titles like Terraria, Minecraft, and Stardew Valley all manage brilliantly, is the look and feel of a title.
Square Trees and Soothing Colors
When asked how he settled on Apico's look, Elliott had this to share:
That was quite a hard one. This is our first game. I’ve been a developer for years, but the art is always hard. Eventually, I just had to accept that I can’t draw trees. Everybody always uses those fat Legend of Zelda trees, and I didn’t want to do that. I just made a square, called it a tree and it kind of stuck. So everything’s based around me not being able to draw trees. We’re just winging it, really. In terms of the palette, I wanted to pick some interesting colors like mint green and purple brown. Again, we wanted something very soothing.
Reactions from gamers have been positive enough to garner social media recognition. Elliott shared some Apico assets on Twitter and was actually called out for 'stealing' from Apico, which lead him to explain: "No, that's my game." Despite the awkward situation, Elliott said he is glad to know that relative strangers are familiar with his work. He should be proud—people don't bother defending games from apparent plagiarism unless they are invested or intrigued in the title, and establishing that kind of emotional connection is key when the goal is to make players feel relaxed, happy, and content.
Serene Piano With Whimsical Melodies
In terms of music, Elliott had a very specific vision in mind:
"The music is inspired by the sort of soft piano and melodies in Minecraft. It was very important for us to get that to establish the mood. I could probably do a simple chiptune thing myself, but that wouldn’t really fit. To get that relaxing, serene feel, we wanted to turn to somebody who really knows what they’re doing. When I found a track on Brodux’s soundcloud, I thought 'that’s it.'"
Apart from the initial inspiration, Minecraft's greatest creative contribution to Apico was musical style. Rather than a dramatic orchestral score or the frenetic 'bleep-bloop' arcade music associated with many retro and indie titles, the gentleness of Minecraft's piano music is an extension of the world's ambiance, and a key component for its capacity to induce relaxation. Given its significance, it makes sense that Elliott would choose to outsource the music. That said, Elliott has done all the programming, Jamie has done all the writing, and the brothers have split the pixel art duties.
The Mechanics of Chilling
The actual beekeeping mechanics see players squeezing hive frames to extract honey and using other simple tools in ways reminiscent of the tasks players must complete in Among Us. Just as these micro-games are not "the point" of Among Us, these mechanics are mostly embellishments for the game's primary project: collecting and breeding new varieties of bees to fill the grandfather's journal. There are dozens of bees available in the game that can only be unlocked through specific breeding criteria, and Elliott has plans to add more. That said, Apico doesn't attempt to pigeon-hole players into a set task. Those looking to explore, become a honey magnate, or simply build a palatial bee estate will be free to pursue those options. Whatever makes players comfortable.
Apico is currently in development for Linux, Mac, PC, and Switch.