July 16, 2024 - Hooded Horse is excited to reveal it has partnered with Minakata Dynamics, developers of the simulation-heavy train strategy game Railgrade, to publish its next title — cat and mouse themed city-builder Whiskerwood.
In Whiskerwood, players must establish a home for their industrious mice in uncharted territory under the oppressive paw of their cat overlords. This city builder features complex simulations, supply chain management dealing with over 40 commodities, and the age-old rivalry between cat and mouse.
As the dominion of cats spreads across the seas, the common mouse is sent forth from its home on perilous journeys. Arriving by ship on untouched islands rich in all manner of resources, players must quickly establish a colony to meet the immediate and ever-growing demands of their feline masters. As the colony grows, so does their master’s greed – eventually, every mouse will need to make a choice: keep serving the oppressive paw, or raise whiskers in defiance.
Key features of Whiskerwood include:
- Over 40 commodities to gather, manufacture, and trade, from raw resources like wood and ore, to luxury items like furniture and tea that can be unlocked by gaining favor.
- Vertical city planning, where players must maximize space by building up into the sky and burrowing deep underground, using precise planning for the best results.
- Complex supply and logistics systems, from water pumps, to conveyor belts, lifts, and more! Ensure goods get from A to B quickly, and build infrastructure for heating and irrigation.
- Unlock new policies and utilize diplomacy to your advantage by treating with other mice factions, even contending with pirates (as friends or as foes).
- Develop new production methods through research to keep up with the needs of the colony as it grows, automating production lines for maximum efficiency.
- A strategic layer to expand influence beyond the colony, and for when force is required, turn-based combat using ships of war.
"Mice always seem so hard working and industrious,” says Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender. “They’re perfect characters for a colony sim/city builder. While I love cats, I can see them running a mercantile empire. And who doesn't love the idea of a Boston Cheese Party?"
"Whiskerwood is our team's passion project and the culmination of a decade's worth of city builder prototypes,” says Studio Head Daniel Dressler. “It is an honor to work with Hooded Horse and finally bring our creation to life. Their way of business has enabled us to make Whiskerwood the best it can be and wholly without pressure."
Whiskerwood will be localized from English into German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
Whiskerwood will be released into early access for PC via Steam. A press kit is available.
Press inquiries: press@hoodedhorse.com
Hooded Horse is a publisher of deep strategic and tactical games with people and partners worldwide. Starting in 2019 with a single title, Hooded Horse’s portfolio has grown to 31 games and counting. Our goal is to empower and support developers in doing what they love so that they can create world-class experiences for their audiences. From the distant past of Manor Lords and the haunted woods of Against the Storm, to the depths of space in Terra Invicta and Falling Frontier.
You can find out more about us on our Steam publisher page, as well as our social channels; Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Discord, and website.
About Minakata Dynamics(™)
Minakata Dynamics is a small independent video game developer from the Touhoku region of Japan that focuses on systems-heavy experiences with deep and layered gameplay. The studio has developed for Windows, Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. The team previously developed Railgrade and is currently working on the Cat-and-Mouse city builder Whiskerwood.
You can find out more via the official website, as well as Discord.