Roterra – the visually striking perspective-shifting puzzler developed by woman-owned studio DIG-IT! Games – is available on the App Store. Taking place on beautifully designed gravity-defying fairytale environments, Roterra invites players to guide charming characters around obstacles by rotating and sliding cubes – and even flipping the world on its head from time to time 🙂
The game was selected for the 2019 MAGFest Indie Videogame Showcase (MIVS), where it received rave reviews. One attendee actually played the game for six hours straight. Some called it a cross between Monument Valley and a Rubik’s Cube – and one new fan declared “I can see myself getting sucked into this!”
The developers were inspired by “Orlando Furioso” – the 16th-century epic Italian poem by Ludovico Ariosto – to create the rich storyline, colorful characters, and fairytale world behind Roterra. The constantly shifting environments also reflect the many conflicting points-of-view in the poem.
The game’s female protagonist, Angelica, challenges medieval depictions of women as helpless accessories. Angelica is determined and brave – but she’s also shrewd enough to know when to fight and when to run. Despite her ethereal white dress, Angelica is no damsel in distress. From the beginning of the game, you can sense her determination represented by her confident stride through forests, castles and caves alike. Angelica is a force to be reckoned with.
Once Upon a Time …
Angelica, the rightful Queen of Roterra, has lost her kingdom to her older brother, Orlando – who has become addicted to the magical powers bestowed to those who wear the crown. She now finds herself deep in the forest, alone … doing everything within her reach to return home! With traitorous knights hot on her heels, Angelica must face challenging puzzles and other hazards to make a safe return and reclaim her kingdom – one puzzle at a time.
How to Play Roterra
The gameplay is simple: Players are tasked with guiding Angelica through dense forests, dark caves, and giant castles by rotating and sliding cubes around the map. Quick reflexes are not quite the way to go here: Thoughtful, careful consideration is the answer – often revealing new paths and avoiding obstacles altogether. The world itself can be flipped upside down; the player may alternate between characters – including a good-natured Yellow Knight and a Wizard – to solve puzzles as a “team.” If players succeed, they’ll eventually learn firsthand that sometimes the journey matters far more than the destination – and that stereotypes about wizards and magical creatures are not to be trusted …
Available on iOS, Roterra has been featured in a number of outlets – including TouchArcade, Flickering Myth, TweakTown, Appolicious, NYMG, and Macworld. Roterra has also been featured on the App Store numerous times.
Read more about Roterra and DIG-IT! Games here.