Watch Your Step

Spoiler label: this post contains a look at a new enemy in Dandelion Void!

Hi everyone, and happy almost Halloween! To channel with the reason for the season, we wanted to give you a sneak peek into a new horticultural horror that you can look forward to (or dread) in Dandelion Void.

This is an early mockup, with temp art and just a rough pass at sound, but we’re pretty excited by the gameplay this creature will bring!

We wish we could show you more, but this footage was all we could recover. If you will, a moment of silence for our brave expedition party.

Bonus: What's a Manzanita?

We’ve had some questions about the origin of the name Manzanita Interactive, the studio behind Dandelion Void. A few of us went on a hike last weekend in Angeles National Forest, where we found the perfect opportunity to demonstrate!

"Manzanita" refers to the Arctostaphylos genus of small, hardy shrubs endemic to the chaparral biome of the southwest USA and Northwest Mexico. The name literally translates to “small apple” in Spanish, referring to the appearance of a Manzanita fruit. The genus is known for its drought tolerance, upwards-pointing leaves, and beautiful dark red bark (often presented in two-tone, with long streaks of gray).

The name is a nod to our beloved home of Southern California, where our entire team is based. Manzanita is also known for quickly regrowing in the wake of devastating wildfires using special fire-tolerant seeds. As a team that met as union organizers in a time where the entire games industry seems to be on fire, we like the symbolism here.

That’s all for today! Join us again in two weeks on November 11th for more early looks into Dandelion Void.

Until then, may we all get our chance to rise from the ashes.

-- Robin and the Manzanita Interactive team