We wanted an area in the game that was organic. Something to provide as a stark contrast to the industrial area. We talked a lot about the journey that the Boy and Shadow undertake. They leave behind something that is familiar and safe and explore an unknown world. To us, part of that would be to bring them back to nature.
We looked at the possibilities with a forest, with treehouses and interesting play with shadows against tree trunks, and we discussed caves. Ultimately, caves would give us more options and was better suited for varied gameplay. Bigger surfaces made it easier to design levels.
