Fantasy Puzzle Game “Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood” Gets February Early Steam Access! (Update!)

(Update – Feb 3, 2021: Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood will be fully released on April 8, 2021, without Early Access. The original article follows.)

Publisher Headup and developer Devespresso Games have announced that the fantasy puzzle-adventure title Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood will be available on Steam Early Access come February 10, 2021.

Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood features Devespresso’s signature manhwa-style with hand-illustrated graphics by Minho Kim and a non-linear story written by T.L. Riven. The upcoming title is set within a vibrant Oz-esque fantasy world.

Devespresso Games is behind the popular The Coma series. Do read our review of The Coma 2: Viscious Sisters.

Fans should get ready to experience playing a narrative that has a recurring time loop (similar to Groundhog Day) with unique branching story paths.

The first four chapters of the game will be revealed during the initial launch. Several updates will follow, offerings players additional chapters in late February. The final chapter (with will include multiple endings) will be released with the title’s official debut scheduled for March.

Here’s the Early Access link.

The description reads:

Scarlet, the protagonist and a diva in the making, awakes in the realm of Glome after being flung over by a rogue tornado. She discovers an electrifying world brimming with magic, beauty, and artifacts from a mysterious bygone culture. Her strange journey begins when she takes up the mantle of the Red Witch and leads a troupe of Munchkins through the forbidden Wicked Wood. In a world full of riddles and wonders, she encounters witches, a tin knight, talking beasts, monsters, and many fearsome creatures to overcome.

The fledgling witch soon discovers a Recursion Hex has her reliving the same day. However, each death presents new opportunities to branch the adventure in exciting new ways. Ultimately, her decisions lead to multiple endings. In the deep wood, where a bad hungry wolf roams and a wicked witch casts her evil spells, Scarlet must rely on her wits and a cute fox, acting as her pathfinder, to overcome the disasters that await her at every turn.

Here’s the gameplay trailer!

This game will require players to solve puzzles through logic or by finding clues scattered across the wood. Clues will be hidden in the shapes of items, conversations with NPCs, writings on the walls, etc. Players are encouraged to visit the community on Steam or join the Devespresso Games Discord channel to discuss solutions with other players.

The Key Features include:

• Surviving a narrative time-loop.
• Solving ridiculous puzzles.
• Following your own multi-path story.
• Unlocking multiple endings based on your decisions.
• Admiring the hand-illustrated graphics.
• Using Scarlet’s witching skills to avoid detection

As for Headup, it’s a hybrid games publishing and development company established in 2009. Headup was awarded as “Best Publisher” at the German Developers Awards in 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2019. 

Devespresso Games is an independent, four-man team based out of Seoul, South Korea and Honolulu, USA. Their titles include Vambrace: Cold Soul (read our review), and The Coma series.

Feel free to share your thoughts with us.

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(via press release)

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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