Hi! Alexandre Pernot Lopes here for Trebuchet. Our whole team is very happy today to show you more unique Winds & Leaves gameplay specially designed for PS VR. Winds & Leaves will launch on July 27th and while waiting to discover the world of the Gardener for yourself, let’s dive in and share some details with you!
You are surrounded by flower beds as you step out of the verdant valley where you have been brought back to life. You stop for a brief moment and contemplate the arid and dusty hills in front of you. Will you be able to restore life to this world and stop the next Cataclysm? Only time will tell if you grow your forests one tree at a time.
The gardener’s bond
As a gardener, you share a special bond with trees. You need their life energy to roam the earth as much as they need you to thrive in the diverse environments of each region. Every forest you plant becomes a safe haven to serve as a starting point for your exploration.
On the edge of the world are the outposts, tall ancient structures built by ancient gardeners. Find your way to them as you earn new fruits allowing you to match different soils on the road. Awakening the Outposts will unveil old knowledge resulting in new abilities.
As you explore, you’ll come across new biomes with soil conditions that no exact species will fit in your fruit pocket. Take a moment to analyze your options. If two or three different fruits put together match the surrounding environment, you have the power to combine them and create a new variety.
Weather and forests
During your trip you will encounter changing weather conditions in some areas. A relatively dry hill may be traversed by a rain cloud, and the trees on that hill will suffer from a higher humidity level than desired.
Similar to the gardener’s connection to the forest as a whole, the trees themselves support each other. If a tree is less suited to current conditions, a well-adapted tree growing nearby will help it survive. You can get a glimpse of the friendly bond between the trees if you take a walk in the forest at night.
Make sure to mix different trees to create sustainable forests that will survive a passing storm.
The Garden: a private herbarium
At the heart of the Steppe, you will often cross the central core: the Garden. At its center is the Panemona, the key to the survival of the steppe. Each time you wake up a new Arch, a corresponding tree will grow in the Garden and the vegetation of the Panemona will progress. The vital nature of the Garden can make any tree species thrive in its soil. You can use this peaceful patch of land as your own private garden, planting any tree there will give you a constant supply of its type of fruit.
In the Garden, you will also notice the herbaria, wooden portals marking the entrance to each of the regions of the Steppe. The herbaria are delimited by the plant signature of their respective region: you will be able to see which climatic conditions you will encounter during your travels as well as follow your progress in each of them.
We hope you are as excited as we are to discover the world of Winds & Leaves when it releases this summer! Until then, why not take the time to plant some seeds on your balcony while waiting to play the Gardener on July 27.
