Initial details unearthed for Bilkins’ Folly

Written by Jack Allin — February 22, 2022 at 10:51

Any good treasure hunter knows to bring along the right maps and a good shovel, but according to solo Tasmanian developer Luke Webster's upcoming Bilkins' Folly, the most important key to success may just be one's favourite canine companion. 

In the 1700s, Percival "Percy" Bilkins is on a mission to search both for buried riches and his "missing mother and grandfather, who mysteriously disappeared many years ago." When a storm wrecks his ship, Percy sets out to acquire a new boat and recruit a crew in order to continue his journey across "a series of unusual and lively islands riddled with history, mystery, and (most importantly) treasure." Fortunately for the young protagonist, accompanying him is his faithful dog Drayton, and together the pair will solve a variety of puzzles to uncover secret stashes of loot and clues that "bring to light the foreboding family secret buried beneath it all." In the process, Percy may just learn that "the ultimate treasure is the friends and allies he'll make along the way."

Presented in cartoon-styled pixel art viewed from a bird's-eye perspective, the keyboard- and mouse-controlled Bilkins' Folly promises an adventure with "an emphasis on cartography, exploration and narrative." As Percy and Drayton traverse each island, players must interact with the "quirky" local inhabitants to uncover important new details and customize Percy's maps via "drawing lines and placing icons" to determine where X marks the spot. You'll also engage in a variety of other minigame activities, including fishing, picking locks, herding sheep, and entering treasure hunting competitions. In between you'll want to dote on your beloved Drayton, as "by spending quality time together, you can level up your bond and earn points to spend on new skills that can be used to clear obstacles" and "take you to places previously unseen."

There is no firm target release date just yet, but Bilkins' Folly is currently scheduled to launch on Steam for Windows PC sometime in 2023.