Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries Preview
“This is not a fairy tale. There’s nothing fair about it”.
When the protagonist of Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries introduces us to her world, this is the key statement she makes. A warning and an explanation: she is telling the player that this is no ordinary happy-ending bedtime story. In early-access on Steam, Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries tells the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood with a dark and gritty twist that takes the old story to a whole new level.
A Company with a Vision
When GRIN Gamestudio set out to make their first big game release, they headed straight to Kickstarter to get the support they needed. With an engaging campaign and promising ideas they soon surpassed their goal and quickly moved into early access. The initial idea to make a dark fairytale came from early concept art direct from team lead artist Davy Penasse’s sketchbook and the game grew from there.
Admitting influences like Tim Burton and steampunk aesthetics, one comparison that cannot be denied is to that of another dark fairytale game: American McGee’s Alice franchise. As another dark take on a classic tale, the comparisons are obvious. But this only adds to the excitement for Red Hood Diaries as another game added to this slowly growing genre. Fans of Alice will surely love this game as well, as it’s rooted in the same vein but has its own world and ideas to support it and keep it unique.
The City of Ulrica
Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries opens in a Victorianesque London-like city named Ulrica. The snowy rooftops and industrial look give the game an instant steampunk attitude. We quickly meet Red Hood, a sassy white-haired young woman set on vengeance for her father’s untimely and mysterious death. Red is feisty and full of fire, using stealth and combat skills taught to her by her Granny, Red sets out to infiltrate the company her father worked for (she is convinced they covered up his death). The huge industrial company Woolfe Industries is run by the slimy, wealthy son of the company’s founder B.B. Woolfe. Navigating through the city streets, the sewers, the factory, and the forest where she lives, Red journeys determined to uncover the truth. However as secrets begin to unravel, Red may not like what she finds.
A Classic Platformer
The gameplay in Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries is simple but incredibly fun. A classic platformer, the player navigates Red through levels with endless puzzles and tricky jumps and maneuverings. With her trusty axe in hand, Red chops and slices down foes like evil mechanical tin-men, possessed rats, and frightening imp-like fairies. At this point in the game’s early access Red’s attacks are limited, but GRIN Gamestudio has high hopes that before the game is finished that they will be able to introduce some magically based attacks as well to add more to the combat that currently feels a little too hack-n-slash.
Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries is a game that is full of promise and potential. Playing the roughly one-hour-long demo offered through Steam currently will give players a clear idea of what to expect from the game and presage what a high chance of success it has. With creative ideas, beautiful visual direction, and an engaging and dark story, Red’s showdown with the Big Bad Woolfe is one you must see out to the end.