Valencia and a Sledgehammer (MinnMax spotlight on a new game from Deconstructeam)

For a long time the Valencian independent studio Deconstructeam has been one of my favorite game developers. Games like The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, Many Nights a Whisper, and Essays on Empathy challenge the player with tricky decisions and empower them to create their own art within the game. Their new game, Virtue and a Sledgehammer, co-developed with Selkie Harbor, departs from their usual melancholy, narrative driven pixelart style by implementing 3D environments, destruction mechanics, and a sledgehammer.

I really enjoyed this deep dive on the game from MinnMax's Ben Hansen and Jacob Geller, who travelled to Valencia to see local landmarks and get insight into the game's small, sustainable team and their process from modelling to sound design to animation. It's a really cozy and insightful video.