Hi, everyone!

My name is Erdem and I am from the microstudio Pixel Lantern, which actually consists of only my wife Jenny and me. With this blog post, I’d like to give you all some information on our new PS4 and PS Vita game, Bard’s Gold.

We’ve been working on it for about 18 months and are thrilled to announce that the game will launch on PS4 and PS Vita on June 17 for $4.99 with super sweet Cross-Buy support.

Do you remember how games felt back in the day? When platform games had this certain magical mood to them? No, I am not referring to pixel graphics or chiptune music. There was something else. A game’s soul that you were discovering while you played it. You played it again and again and got better at it. Finally, you were able to overcome enemies, bosses, and stages you previously thought you could never beat.

This is why we developed Bard’s Gold. We want to bring that magical mood, that soul, and that challenge back. That challenge in which players have to stand on their own and figure out even the basic game mechanics. Yup, you got that one right. There won’t be any tutorials in Bard’s Gold. No hand-holding, no watered down easy mode. That’s right, you are on your own. You have to figure out how to double jump on your own. Darn, I just spoiled the double jump! You know, the extraordinary movement that makes you jump higher by pressing the button once more while in the air. Well, that’s all the help I’m giving you.

Bard’s Gold is slower-paced than most modern platformers and takes its gameplay inspiration from late ’80s and early ’90s classics such as Rick Dangerous, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Rainbow Islands, Wonder Boy in Monster World, Erik, and Rodland. It features an original soundtrack that perfectly frames the atmosphere, soothes your soul and fills you with confidence as you overcome levels you once thought were unbeatable.

Speaking of levels, there are more than 100 of them. All have been handcrafted and are picked randomly for each playthrough. And if that is not enough to keep you playing over and over again, the game features a permanent upgrade system to make each and every one of your sessions count.

I hope you enjoy Bard’s Gold and experience the magical mood of past games. Welcome aboard the Nostalgia Train!