As a lifelong gamer and reviewer, I was thrilled to sit down with Forrest Dowling of The Molasses Flood to discuss their fantastically unique title – Drake Hollow.
All About Molasses Flood
Before diving into Drake Hollow, I wanted to learn more about the indie studio behind it. The Molasses Flood consists of around 16 full-time developers and a few contractors. Though relatively small, this ambitious crew already has one acclaimed game under their belt – The Flame in the Flood. They‘ve managed to create AAA quality experiences on an independent budget.
Forrest explains that their name was inspired by Boston‘s infamous 1919 molasses flood disaster. As natives, it was an eccentric little part of local history they wanted to pay homage to. Fitting for a studio focused on crafting games with rich, unconventional stories.
An In-Depth Look at Drake Hollow Gameplay
So what exactly is Drake Hollow? Forrest describes it as an action village builder with tower defense and crafting elements. As a player, these multiple interwoven systems kept me engaged across 30+ hours of playtime.
The Core Gameplay Loop
At its core, Drake Hollow is centered around gathering resources to construct and defend villages for your drake companions. This settlement builder aspect was a smooth, accessible experience even for non-technical players.
The progression system and incremental upgrades felt very satisfying without getting overly complex. And the vibrant, stylized art direction really brings each location to life.
Oodles of Charming Customization
A major highlight is the sheer variety of cosmetics to discover and craft. With dyed armor sets, fun monster masks perfect for Halloween, and even seasonal offerings like ugly Christmas sweaters, I loved personalizing my character. It made the world feel alive when every player looked totally unique.
Forrest hints we may see more themed collection pieces tied to upcoming holidays. As a lover of customization, I‘ll be keeping my fingers crossed!
Engaging Rouge-Lite Campaign
While building up static settlements comprises the sandbox portion, there is also an optional campaign with checkpoints and final bosses. This mode takes you across several distinct areas with random layouts and remixed challenges.
It tended to emphasize the action and combat more than base management, but balanced both facets nicely. The rouge-lite structure enhanced replay value exponentially, as environment and gear upgrades shuffled with each run.
Broad Mainstream Appeal Thanks to Xbox Game Pass
One smart decision was partnering with Microsoft early on to get Drake Hollow included with Xbox Game Pass. This gave casual players easy access without an upfront purchase.
Forrest shares they clocked over 2 million downloads through Game Pass subscriptions alone. Opening up to this built-in community allowed Drake Hollow to reach a wider audience than most indie titles. The team remains committed to supporting Xbox as their lead platform for the time being.
The Road Ahead: What‘s Next for Drake Hollow?
Even after launch, The Molasses Flood continues tweaking and expanding Drake Hollow through updates. Their thriving Discord channel gives fans an outlet to offer feedback. Recently they added the long-requested New Game Plus mode by popular demand.
And there‘s still more DLC and gameplay modifications on the horizon Forrest hinted at. So while there likely won‘t be a direct sequel, this charming world will continue evolving.
As for their next project, details remain tightly under wraps. But Forrest emphasizes they aren‘t abandoning the action-adventure space. In fact he suggests it may appeal to existing fans while preserving The Molasses Flood‘s signature style of mixing genres.
Considering the immense creativity shown in Drake Hollow, I‘m confident their future titles will continue innovating. This is undoubtedly a studio to watch!
