Hello there everyone!
Alchemist Adventure has been available in early access for a while now and we're really enjoying the response to the game so far, especially as we're constantly working to update the game, add in new content, and of course, complete the game's story!
However, as the game is in early access, not everyone has heard about the game. So for those that are new to the game, we wanted to write up a nice introduction to the game and the team behind it!
Introducing Alchemist Adventure
To introduce Alchemist Adventure, we must first talk about alchemy. When you think about an alchemist, it's quite likely that one of the first things that come to mind is the image of a crazy scientist, what's more, the scientist is probably doing several experiments, testing different ingredients and possibilities, all in a laboratory filled with test tubes!
How does this tie into our game? Well, when we were coming up with ideas for the game, we wanted to go with something a little different - after all, the vast majority of games use some sort of magical system, but very few use alchemy, and that's how we started on this route. Once we settled on alchemy as the theme, the very vision that we just described came to our mind and it ended up being a core influence in pretty much all aspects of our game, from the mechanics and narrative to the ability system in our game. If we really go back in time, it could be said that the idea of alchemy in a game started a long time ago when the game's founder was working on an older game whose protagonist was an alchemist kobold!
I guess it's sage to say that we all have alchemy in our hearts and minds!
Meet Mya, the heroine of our game!
Alchemist Adventure is an action-adventure game that follows the adventures of a young alchemist named Mya who wakes up in an abandoned world. She is actually not what you'd originally think of as an Alchemist - she certainly does not fit the image we wrote, but as you uncover her past, you'll see that the world that she grew up in was very much in line with that original image.
Seeing is believing, so check out this introduction trailer to Mya!
Meet Mya in our special cinematic trailer!
About Alchemy
The game itself is based on an extensive system of synthesis and synergy between elements and the potions that you create from them. In fact, the very abilities that you will use while playing come directly from the potion that you mix.
When making a potion, you start off with the simple elements, Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, but you can also combine them to make a secondary element. For example, if you add both Fire and Water to a potion, you get a new element, Steam.
That's not all, by exploring the world, you will gather two extra ingredients that you can (you don't have to) add to your potions. The first are the metals, such as Iron, Copper, and more, and second, you have natural ingredients like Mercury, Sulfur, Citrine, and a lot more.
This is where the synergies come in. Each ingredient has its own effect and when combined with another ingredient that effect can evolve into something entirely new.
It's there that we do need to say that the potions in Alchemist Adventure are not your typical potions, it is better to think of them as ability bombs! You mix a potion, then you have a choice, you can apply it to your weapons triggering the potion's ability, or you can throw them at a target, and when the potion bottle breaks (upon hitting the target or the floor), the ability triggers. Just keep in mind that synergies can go two ways and the order in which you add the ingredients to the potion matters as well.
Some ingredients amplify the abilities of the main element used, others will weaken them, and a combination of elements, metals, and special ingredients can result in some unexpected effects!
Early Game Tip: Add Fire, Copper, Citrine, and another Copper (in that order), and your potion will gain a Healing ability. But beware, when you throw the potion, it will first trigger the base fire damage, but after that the healing kicks in (it heals much more than the damage that it causes). Just be sure to have enough initial HP to survive the initial fire damage, you don't want to kill yourself by accident. On the flip side, be very careful when using this potion on enemies as though it will damage them at first, if that fire damage does not finish them off, they too will benefit from the healing effects!
At this stage, you can probably see that the customizing options for the potions are vast and ultimately only gets bigger as you progress in the game!
The last thing that we want to say about the alchemy/elemental system is that everything is logical. For example, fire potions will burn the target and the environments (you can burn down doors, barricades, or haystacks), water potions can raise the water level of depleted lakes, Ice potions can freeze the surface of a body of water, allowing you to cross it, and electric potions turn puddles into powerful traps!
The Team - History, Background, and Inspiration
Bad Minions is the name of the studio that is creating and developing Alchemist Adventure and currently consists of 12 people. The studio was founded by a group of college professors that were teaching about the gaming industry in Brazil, so it is no surprise that most of the 'minions' (since the studio is called Bad Minions, the team members affectionately call themselves 'minions') come from the same college and that the majority of them have extensive experience working in the gaming industry, from PC games to Console, Mobile, and even VR titles!
When it comes to Alchemist Adventure, the game itself has been 6 years in the making, so inspiration came from all over the world, but perhaps the biggest source would be Zelda!
As said by our co-founder:
I think the biggest one was Zelda. And I’m not saying that to look good or something like that. Games always were very expensive here in Brazil. I was a fortunate child and had the opportunity to have consoles, but I had few games. Zelda for NES and Ocarina of Time, I played more than 20 times each. So they are part of me as a gamer. And I love that feeling of adventuring, becoming stronger, being able to visit new places with new powers. If you play Alchemist Adventure, you will probably feel that way too.
Be sure to check out the Bad Minions homepage if you'd like to learn more about them.
Alchemist Adventure is in early access on Steam and you can join and play today!
