If your world-weary Dark Souls character ever sprouted cute half-moon ears, wee little feet, and coated himself in fur, you'd get Ghost of a Tale , a daring adventure across a sprawling world of sorcery and militant woodland creatures. It's a game by Lionel Gallat, a film animation veteran of Dreamworks and Universal, and it's a strong sell of playing as a mouse in a hat with a lute on its back.
Dark Souls in fact makes up just one of Gallat's many inspirations for his work, and he pulls more motivation from other epics such as Ico, Gothic, books such as Redwall and Winnie the Pooh, and films like The Dark Crystal and The Secret of NIMH. I sense a "run away from scary things as a small furball" pattern here.
His synopsis: "The mysterious Island of Periclave, which has long been a disputed outpost for the Army of the Rats, is abandoned now and reputed to be haunted. Of course, tales are told of a fabulous treasure hidden high up in the Tower of Periclave, but it would be folly to try and get there, even for a mighty warrior—and the little mouse certainly doesn't look like one.”
Gallat's goals include dipping into his film background to fashion "environments that look a bit like movie sets and characters with a sense of stylization in their design." He's also seeking to "recapture the sense of wonder" he felt during adventure gaming's heyday in the '80s and '90s, and his early gameplay trailer definitely shows he's on the right track.
Ghost of a Tale is set up on IndieGoGo with a $57,800/€45,000 goal, and bonus backer items include soundtracks, closed beta access, and even an Undead Rat figurine—a perfect complement to the guest room—at the $450/€350 tier.
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