Gamereactor recently had the chance to interview Zoink Games after their announcement of Fe at E3, and we discussed their new release at length.
When asked about what they could tell us about the game, the developers related it to Super Mario 64 in the sense that it is an adventure game but for a more adult audience, "set in a world that really makes sense". The creative vision for the game had multiple influences, but a central visual inspiration was "old paintings", a feel of "detail even though it isn't really" and the execution of this with polygons.
The developers said that the game was so new because "we love telling stories" and they need to do that in new and innovative ways to set themselves apart as a small studio, especially in regards to narrative and artwork. In this way then they needed to combine stories with 3D platforming to create something truly special.
In terms of the story they are trying to tell, then, it is special because it is totally wordless and involves "putting the player in this world and letting them see" both through scripted and dynamic interactions with their surroundings. The developers were keen to emphasise that the "ecosystem is the story" and that there are even some plot twists in there as well. The game, they said, is essentially about letting players discover things in their own time and their own way.
When asked more about the art style and the seemingly muted colours, the developers said that there will be more colours in the full game but the colours are slightly darker in the background in order to highlight the creatures within the forest as they are really the focal point of the game. The whole game is "digital looking but also weirdly enough quite organic", they said, appropriate to the forest setting that is so important.
Fe seems like a very calm game too, and encourages a calmer style of play. The developers said that they want the players to take their time to experience their surroundings, but that not all of the game would be calm and relaxed. There will be some tense moments in there as well which should provide for some interesting encounters.
The progression in the game seems very much linked to songs, the means with which the player interacts with the inhabitants of the forest. In said forest there are also many secrets to discover and players "will be rewarded for looking in every nook and cranny of the forest". They said that the game is structured like a Zelda or a Metroid game in that regard.
When asked about when we can expect Fe, the developers didn't want to promise anything but said that they were aiming for 2017. They exercised caution with giving a date because they wanted to make sure it was polished and perfected before they release it.
The significance of their game as the first EA Original was not lost on Zoink Games as they called the initiative "really amazing", especially since they are "giving back to the indie development". As for the studio themselves, they said it "changes everything for us" and said it was a brilliant opportunity.