Anodyne Developers Announce Sephonie for 2021 PC Release

I’m relatively new to Analgesic Productions’ work. I recently reviewed Anodyne 2 on the Switch and found myself intrigued by the game’s concept and approach to surreal (yet meaningful) storytelling. The use of abstract visuals and concepts to tell a personal story was stunning. As a result of my newfound appreciation for their content, I am very excited to see that Analgesic Productions have announced a new game.

Sometime in 2021, story-driven platformer Sephonie will release on Steam. Here is what the press release has told us so far about Sephonie.

“Memories linger across time, deep under the island of Sephonie. Explore a massive cave network, and link with unidentified species using the novel Puzzle Grid system. Explore the island’s depths as shipwrecked biologists Amy, Ing-wen, and Riyou, unravelling mysteries both scientific and spiritual, watched over by a supernatural being who exists beyond human history.

Next-generation platforming

The caves of Sephonie vary wildly from lush, jade chasms to reddish flora-filled sandstone caverns. Their physical and rocky layouts demand a fitting moveset! Fling yourself over high ledges using the satisfying Teledash Vault, activate the quick-but-risky Sprint when you need to cover long distances, and deftly Wallrun across dangerous outcroppings. When the obstacles become insurmountable, use the plants and animals of the environment to unlock powerful new abilities like soaring high jumps and swift grapples.

The Relaxing and Casual Puzzle Grid System

The trio must research the island’s unknown creatures by Linking with them. Using the one-of-a-kind “Puzzle Grid” system, you’ll rotate and place a series of multi-colored puzzle pieces onto the board, and connect large, same-colored islands. The caves are full of both small and massive creatures — each with their own importance to the cave’s ecosystem and each with a different challenge to overcome.

There’s no ‘right’ solution to Linking: use your intuition to react to the creature’s moves and what appears on the board, and you will soon be on your way to success!

A Research Trip Gone Awry

In the near future, three biologists are on a joint research trip to use their ONYX implants to research the creatures of the uninhabited Sephonie Island. However, a mysterious phenomenon destroys their ship, leaving them shipwrecked.

Amy Lim, Taiwanese-American and bold leader, hails from the midwestern USA town of Bloomington. Riyou Hayashi, an analytically-minded Japanese-Taiwanese researcher, calls the bustling Tokyo his home. And Ing-wen Lin, a kind and considerate Taiwanese scientist, lives in Taipei.

The trio will find their motivations and loyalties put to the test as they navigate Sephonie’s caverns, facing not only rocks and creatures but also their deepest memories and dreams. As they grow more intimate with each other and the island, an ancient force, brewing deep in the island’s abyss, may threaten their newfound relationship, and the world…”

While the developers boast a human experience, and a deep, emotional story, I find myself very intrigued by the gameplay elements in place here too. I love parkour-inspired platforming, and the Puzzle Grid system just seems like a fun concept and evolution of Anodyne’s “mind palace” delving.

I hope that we see Sephonie come to consoles soon after the PC release, but odds are I’ll wind up biting the bullet and picking the game up on PC first. I can’t exactly resist, after playing Anodyne 2 I find myself really enjoying Analgesic Production’s flair for the weird and beautiful.