November 1, 2024
Winnipeg, Canada – Today, award-winning filmmaker Bisong Taiwo invites players to embark on a spiritual journey with the official release of Sainthood, a cozy, Catholic-themed strategy game steeped in African folklore. Available now on Steam and Xbox, Sainthood places players in the role of a nun stranded on an enigmatic island with only 33 days to fulfill her journey toward serving her community and growing her faith.
With the community already rallying around the game’s themes of faith and kindness, Sainthood has received enthusiastic early feedback. “Art is great, controls are to the point, and the atmosphere is relaxing and cozy.” commented one early player. “But I especially love the community building aspects!”
“Sainthood has been a labor of love,” said Taiwo, “and I’m incredibly moved by the support we’ve received from early players. We wanted to create a game where players focus on serving others, which feels rare in gaming today. Seeing it resonate with players around the world is inspiring.”
In Sainthood, navigate a beautifully illustrated miniature-like grid representing the island which moves
through beautiful seasons and day/night cycles. Immerse yourself in a relaxing, meditative world. Find and free the Angel Spirits known as 'Ehi' who will assist you with building upgrades. But be careful, when night descends, mysterious evil spirits known as the 'Shetani' emerge, hungry for your Faith.
Balance time management with meaningful missions, ranging from delivering packages to volunteering at the hospital and orphanage, to uncovering sacred artifacts. Engage in acts of charity, prayer, and reflection while exploring the mysteries of the island.
As you interact with the custodians of each building—such as the Prioress in the Convent—learn snippets of Kongo culture and history, and the stories behind several saints from Africa and all over the world.
“Most video games that deal directly with the Christian faith typically fall into the realm of parodies, making them controversial, or use the faith as part of a larger strategy to dominate and subjugate, as is the case with 4X Strategy games,” says Taiwo, creator of Sainthood. “I thought it would be a great idea to build a non-violent strategy game where the focus is on helping and serving others rather than conquering and controlling them.”
Sainthood mixes cozy and relaxing gameplay with deep narrative themes, and promotes themes of kindness, spirituality, and personal growth. The game’s focus on the Catholic faith and African culture provides a rich tapestry of influences.
“Sainthood is a small, high-quality faith-based game that avoids the negative tropes sometimes associated with religion,” continues Taiwo, “and instead focuses on a positive, cozy experience that inspires players to serve and nurture their local community, whatever their faith.”
Sainthood is available to play now on Steam and Xbox.
For more information, visit https://sainthoodgame.com and join us on Discord and Twitter.
About Bisong Taiwo
In 2020, founder, game designer and filmmaker Bisong Taiwo began creating Sainthood, a beautiful, cozy strategy game steeped in his Catholic faith and African heritage. By tapping into his rich expertise as a filmmaker, game designer and storyteller, Taiwo is crafting a moving, aesthetically pleasing video game experience that appeals to both religious and secular players alike.
About our mission
Most video games that deal directly with the Christian faith typically fall into the realm of parodies, making them controversial, or used as part of a larger strategy to conquer and control, as is the case with 4X games. Instead, we wanted to make a small, high-quality faith-based game that avoids the negative tropes sometimes associated with religion, and instead focuses on a positive, cozy experience that inspires players to serve and nurture their local community.
Media Contact:
Bisong Taiwo
Sainthood
bisong@sainthoodgame.com
https://www.sainthoodgame.com
https://x.com/sainthood_game