On the surface, The Magnificent Trufflepigs seems like a simple, relaxing metal-detecting game. However, it’s got an air of mystery to it that encourages players to delve deeper, especially in regards to the relationship between the two main characters, Adam and Beth. Players step into Adam’s shoes as he helps his childhood friend Beth try to find the match to an earring she’d found in her youth. What they discover, though, runs much deeper than any treasure found in the ground.
The Magnificent Trufflepigs takes place in a small English village named Stanning, and its visuals are absolutely stunning. In an interview with Game Rant, the founder of Thunkd and Creative Director of The Magnificent Trufflepigs, Andrew Crawshaw, discussed the inspiration behind the game as well as key choices that went into development.
The Magnificent Trufflepigs Setting and Inspiration
When it comes to the barebones design of The Magnificent Trufflepigs, Crawshaw knew he wanted to “make something slow-paced,” especially because it was the first game to come out of Thunkd. Budget-wise, Crawshaw also knew that he would have to keep a relatively modest budget when developing the exploration game. Additionally, he’s a fan of the Detectorists TV show, so the metal-detecting mechanic helped in both designing the game and creating a laidback atmosphere for players to get to know the characters better.
As for being set in the quaint English village of Stanning, Crawshaw remarked that the decision to put the game in such a place was largely based on the areas where the team members live. Villages that don’t have a lot going on, like Stanning, can also yield remarkable stories and tall tales, like one story players can hear about a cow corpse being found, which obviously means that aliens were invading.
“There’s also something about small, sleepy villages that makes it easy for any event to become overblown… This echoes Beth’s response to everything that’s going on. The setbacks she’s had suddenly feel huge, like her world is collapsing. We all do it, especially when we feel vulnerable—we overthink, expect the worst and imagine demons when there aren’t any.”
The Magnificent Trufflepigs Metal-Detecting and Other Mechanics
While metal-detecting is what players are doing in The Magnificent Trufflepigs, there’s no doubt that the emphasis of the game lies in the story and interactions between Beth and Adam. Players get to know Beth and what makes her tick and Crawshaw says that metal-detecting was “the perfect activity” for The Magnificent Trufflepigs, as it “captures so many themes” that Beth’s personal story provides to players.
“The game started as a metal detecting game. There was an idea that the player would uncover a mystery that had literally been buried away, but early on it became clear that the relationship between the characters and something that was happening here and now was more exciting.”
Besides metal-detecting, players take pictures of their discoveries and send them to Beth. These discoveries lead to a bigger dialogue between Adam and Beth, making each piece found uncover a different part of the puzzle that is their relationship. Adam can also take pictures of certain areas of the surrounding environment and send them to Beth, leading to different dialogues that “reveal background information,” whether it’s about the location, the characters’ personalities, or other fun tidbits.
Once players have completed The Magnificent Trufflepigs, there’s a New Game+ mechanic available on the start menu. This mechanic is meant to help players find every piece of treasure possible in-game. According to Crawshaw, players will always find some treasures, while others can only be found if you don’t go to lunch early or end the day early. It’s not, however, a way for players to try every dialogue option, as The Magnificent Trufflepigs does not have different endings.
“What finally caused us to ditch alternate endings was a need for the game to end exactly the way that Beth chooses it to end. You touch on Adam and Beth’s relationship later — but we wanted there to be no doubt that she’s in charge, and she makes all the decisions. The story made us do it!”
Players looking for a relaxing game that’s incredibly story-driven will probably enjoy a title like The Magnificent Trufflepigs. The metal-detecting is very rhythmic and relaxing, but players also get to enjoy helping Beth and discovering the true relationship between Beth and Adam as the game progresses.
The Magnificent Trufflepigs is available now for PC and Switch.