Review Fix Exclusive: Inside ‘Selma and the Wisp’

Review Fix chats with Łukasz Ratajczyk, Art director of Toucan Studio, who lets us know what inspired “Selma and the Wisp.” Detailing the game’s goals and eventual release on consoles, Ratajczyk lets us know what the future of the title looks like.

Review Fix: When did the initial idea for this game come to you?

Łukasz Ratajczyk: It all started in November 2015. Basically, we are a company that makes interactive applications. Last year we have finished a huge project for the museum in Warsaw. We were all tired and then came up the idea for making a game. Our boss gathered a team in one room and after few days of brainstorming, we had a concept. First sketches came two weeks later but the production itself launched for real in January 2016. The title for the game was invented in April, just before releasing a trailer. The working title of Selma and the Wisp was Darkness. Up until now, our game repository is named like that.

Review Fix: This game would be awesome on the 3DS or Vita. Any chance at a port?

Ratajczyk: Selma and the Wisp is made in Unity 3D. It’s a great engine, especially for small teams like us. The main advantage is that we can port almost without any problems to any desired platform. Currently, we’re working on porting Selma to Xbox and Playstation. Later we’re planning to do it also for mobile platforms.

Review Fix: What games inspired this one?

Ratajczyk: It was definitely Limbo, but we decided to upgrade it somehow and added an additional character. In the concept phase, we decided to use much more color. I graduated Academy of Arts so for me using wider palette than just black and white was a natural choice. Many people indicate that Selma and the Wisp is comparable to Child of Light. It’s interesting story because the concept of two heroes and even a visual appearance of the Wisp is, in fact, similar, but when we started production nobody on the team knew this game.

Review Fix: What do you play for fun when you’re not developing?

Ratajczyk: I like adventure games a lot. I’m highly influenced by titles such as Monkey Island, Syberia or Myst. Recently I played Life is strange and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I don’t play much. After a whole day spent in front of the monitor I just feel that I need to go out and breath.

Review Fix: What has development been like?

Ratajczyk: Since the beginning, it was a race against time. We couldn’t effort spending years on that project but on the other hand, it is our first game so it had to stand out. Lucky for us we’ve got great designers and developers on the team. I don’t want to lie, it was hard to produce such a game but it was really fun and we all enjoyed it. We spent many hours laughing at ridiculous ideas what could Selma do and it is really nice to hear that people like our game.

Review Fix: With all the competition on the mobile market and in the indies now, how difficult was it for you guys to try and make something that stood out?

Ratajczyk: Everyday at least one new game is published. It is extremely difficult to stand out and draw attention. I think Selma does it somehow. We made quite an innovative co-dependent control system, the game is really gorgeous and it’s entertaining. It’s a perfect game to spend an evening in an eerie atmosphere.

Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy this game the most?

Ratajczyk: Selma and the Wisp is a great game for casual gamers but I think everyone will find something for himself. It could be great visuals or awesome soundtrack. You can be involved because of quite innovative mechanics or a scary, dark world that Selma discovers.

Review Fix: Bottom line, why must someone play this game?

Ratajczyk: I think it’s the ending. I can’t spoil it so that’s all I’m gonna say. It’s quite unexpected.

Review Fix: How do you want this game to be remembered?

Ratajczyk: Selma and the Wisp is our first game so the pressure is high. I’m dreaming that we can advertise our future productions with a comment  “From the creators of Selma and the Wisp…” but let just leave it to the gamers. The whole team is proud of Selma and we hope we’ll gather an audience that will remember it as a gorgeous game that grabbed their heaths.

Review Fix: What are your goals for this game?

Ratajczyk: Now we are preparing an update with new achievements, additional secret paths and nightmare mode where you’ve got only three lives. After that, we want to port Selma and the Wisp to Xbox and Playstation and by the end of the year make a mobile version.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Ratajczyk: Except for working on Selma, we are starting a new production. The game hasn’t got a title yet but it will be a mobile game inspired by Dyna Blaster combined with some RPG elements and multiplayer, all set in an Indian reality.