Fans of the popular video games Alto’s Adventure and Alto’s Odyssey have something new to get excited about: a brand new biome to play through. However, the new area will only be available to play in Apple Arcade and is part of Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City‘s debut on the gaming service.
The new biome was originally an idea slated to be part of Alto’s Odyssey, but for whatever reason, it didn’t make the cut. Now, it’ll join the three existing biomes—canyons, desert, and ancient temples. What’s exciting is that the biome is a full-on city, packed with life (in stark contrast to the games’ other notoriously barren biomes).
The game’s lead artist and designer, Harry Nesbitt, stated, “We’re thinking of The Lost City as a special edition of Alto’s Odyssey. We’ve been able to go back to the drawing board a little bit.” While the general gameplay concept will stay the same—blending the series’ endless runner challenges with the chill vibes of procedurally-generated landscapes—the new content does change the tone a bit.
“It’s very much a living, breathing city. It’s not a dusty ruin or empty wilderness like some of the other spaces we’ve depicted,” said Nesbitt. “It’s vibrant and alive, and has almost a party atmosphere to it.”
The game’s team is excited about the new biome. While they initially had some concerns about the city shaking up the game’s quiet energy, they believe the procedural nature of the game will make the transition feel more natural. “We try not to throw everything at [the players] at once; we try to pace it out so that one thing leads to another,” Nesbitt affirmed.
Players will also be able to enjoy what the new biome adds to the game’s overall storytelling and worldbuilding. The Lost City was partially inspired by the pandemic and being stuck inside for so long. Nesbitt adds, “I think Alto’s Odyssey has always been a little bit about the idea of traveling and going outside of your comfort zone, and The Lost City is a natural extension of that.”
Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City will hit Apple Arcade on July 16th. Better get your sandboard ready!
via The Verge
