The main character of Dandara is based on a historical Afro-Brazilian leader, farmer, and prominent freedom fighter. — AFP Relaxnews
Brazilian studio Long Hat Games intended to explore empathy and cultural heritage in a game based on the leader of a large community of ex-slaves, Dandara dos Palmares, it explains in an interview with industry site Gamasutra.
"Games differ from other media because of the interactive side of it," studio co-founder Lucas Mattos told Gamasutra.
"In talking about history, not only can you show the player a historical situation and the decisions someone made when living through it," he continues, "but you can stimulate, through gameplay, feelings that relate to how it would be for a person to be in that position. You can deliver empathy."
Long Hat House's Dandara slots neatly into the Metroidvania genre – a style of game, typically seen from a side-on perspective, in which players explore, collect items and, using newfound skills or equipment, progress through each level or revisit old ones.
Released Feb 6 across half a dozen formats – iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, as well as Mac, Linux and PC – Dandara has been well received by players, with high user ratings on iTunes, Google Play, PSN, Steam and Xbox Live.
The title character herself was a leader of the largest settlement of escaped or free-born slaves, Quilombo dos Palmares, and Long Hat Studio wanted to ensure more Brazilians knew about her; at the same time, a nonliteral approach to Brazilian history lets Dandara lift multiple characters, objects and elements as required.
"It is believed that Dandara knew how to fight, was a battle strategist, and, when eventually recaptured, took her own life so as not to go back to a life of enslavement," co-founder João Brant told Gamasutra.
"The meanings behind those facts help a lot to make sense of the game world. It works both ways as well, those in search of a richer narrative can also research the game's inspirations and learn about another culture and history."
And with its thematic and artistic background drawing heavily from Brazilian culture, Dandara continues a tradition seen in 2011's acclaimed and challenging Metroidvania Guacamelee, whose creator returned to his own Mexican childhood for inspiration, and joins 2013 adventure Papo & Yo in exploring and exporting another part of Brazil's heritage. — AFP Relaxnews
