The esteemed playwright and comedy writer Patrick Marber once said “Everything is a version of something else.” This is to say that every form of modern media can most likely be related to some other form of media in the past, be it through similar characters or parallel themes. This is as true in video games as it is anywhere, and the kiwi puzzle adventureKeyWetakes inspiration from some interesting places. Recently in an interview with Game Rant, Stonewheat & Sons discussed how theirupcoming puzzle postal platformerKeyWefinds some of its charm in fantasy books and old-school video games.
Thestories that Terry Pratchettwas able to craft so expertly have inspired many adventurers and storytellers today. During the interview, Grant Gessel of Stonewheat discussed how he had read Pratchett’sGoing Postal,and it had inspired him in a way that translated intoKeyWe.Grant also talked about his love for Rare games growing up, and how they would go on to influence the art style of the project. Joel Davis of Stonewheat briefly discusses how he lovedThe Rescuers, and other similar movies, for how they put the viewer in a smaller world. It’s clear that the game has been made with love, and that comes from the ability to draw from those childhood memories.
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Going Postal and KeyWe
Going Postalis a story about a conman that was almost put to death, were it not for fate having other plans in store. After being saved on the gallows, the protagonist is offered the opportunity to work as a postmaster for the rundown postal service. What follows is the story of rebuilding a post office inan interesting fantasy setting.
“Contrary to the weird-sounding name, it’s about a guy who, in this whimsical fantasy setting, creates a post office. It’s just like a fun fantastical story.”
In the book, the new postmaster uses the benefits of the fantasy society to help deliver mail faster, such as the Cassowaries have been commissioned for inKeyWe.Joel Davis went on to explain he especially found the idea of making even the most boring environments interesting as a big appeal when theywere developing the game.
Rare’s Games
Grant goes on to describe how Rare’s catalog of classic gamessuch asConker’s Bad Fur DayandBanjo-Kazooiewould inspire the art style ofKeyWe.As a fan of the visual art style, Grant decided to model the Kiwis and other characters in a similarly broad way.
“I would probably say that a big inspiration for me in terms of modeling, I used to play a lot of Rare games growing up… I really love that art style, really big broad shapes.”
Joel went on to describe how the love for the interactive 3D menus was something else that they wanted to replicate insideKeyWe.The main menu in the game takes the player around the Telepost office with every different option on the menu, similarto past Rare projectswith interactive 3D UI.
KeyWeisan upcoming co-op puzzlerthat will test the player’s coordination and ability to work as a team. All the while, the game seeks to give the players an experience that is worth investing time into. Drawing from some of the best media of our time, the team at Stonewheat & Sons are dedicated to ensuring that they produce a worthwhile experience that evolves on the successes of formative works in the past.
KeyWeis set to release on June 22, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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