Curse of the Sea Ratsbrings back the golden era of 2D hand-drawn animation as a pirate-themed action-adventure ‘Ratoidvania’ platformer that places iconic rat characters front and center. Cursed by an evil pirate witch, players must venture across the 18th-century Irish coast shortly after thegolden age of piracyas one of four playable rat characters, with the option to team up in local co-op for their adventures.
Game Rant recently spoke with Petoons Studio’s co-founders, Sergio Garcia and Daniel Del Amor, ahead ofCurse of the Sea Rats’upcoming launch in April 2023 about the game’s various inspirations, including the influence of Disney, its stand-out hand-drawn art style, and beyond.The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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Q: Could you tell us more about the game story and were there any key story inspirations?
Sergio:Okay,Curse of the Sea Ratsstarted as our second break.Petoons Partywas our first game which wasa party game. We decided to explore a new genre. And well, Dani and I, more specifically Dani who is the Creative Director of the company, love Metroidvanias. It was kind of ‘okay, why don’t we scratch a little bit of Metroidvania with all the things we made with the first game?’ And also, how we can move from the kids and family category to a new game with more mass appeal? And then, because we’re always working with ideas, Dani came with this funny and shameful rat with a sword during the Christmas holidays, and we were like, ‘that could be a beginning.’ He came up with this crazy idea of people in a ship that turn into rats.
We are also super fans ofMonkey Islandand other classic games. And that’s how it started. Everything started with a mouse – remember this. So, we really wanted to have something iconic and start from this idea.
Q: So why rats? Was it because of their connection to ship life, or was there anything else behind that decision?
Dani:At the very beginning, it was more like rodents in general, because rodents have different abilities, so it’s different from a rat, a mouse, a mole, or even a flying squirrel. We started stretching that idea, but in the end, we decided to keep all the story with a single species with the rats because it was more solid and better for our purposes. We were stretching different options at the very beginning.
Q:Were there any other creatures you considered instead?
Dani:Not really, it was always about rodents because of the classic films. Also, we are very influenced by the classic movies of Don Bluth and Disney ones likeBasilThe Mouse Detective. Mickey Mouse also. Rats have something special.
Sergio:Yeah, and it was growing you know, because you’ve got rats, and we’ve always loved pirates so pi-rats, with puns and everything. It was kind of very natural. At the beginning, it was like, ‘let’s connect the things we love, and we’ll see where it goes.’
Q: Were any of the game’s characters inspired by real people or maybe real pirates from history?
Dani:Yeah sure. We always like to dig a bit, like in Wikipedia. It’s fun to study what happened in that age, and it’s a huge amount of information to process and to be inspired with. Flora Burn, for instance, the pirate witch – there was a pirate woman called Flora Burn in the past, maybe it’s not at the same exact year, but I mean, we had these kinds of inspirations. Bussa, who is a free man who was a slave in Barbados – there’s a historic man who was called Bussa there. So yeah, we had these kinds of influences. Also, the witches, the Samurai girls really existed at that age, so we always have this in mind. Even the colors of the outfits of the British Soldiers or the Americans, everything.
That’s really good it’s rooted in history, it’s cool.
Sergio:Yeah, but loosely based on history.
Dani:Yeah, the main thing is for the stories to be an adventure, to be fun, and that’s the main goal. Historical facts and situations are more to give it a sense of real story, or something that would have happened in the past, but that’s it.
Sergio:And also for the community of fans that are creating their own stories find these feelings of, okay, loosely based on real events or trying to catch a period of time which was the late era of the pirates.
And you’ve got thefantasy elements with the witch and the magic as well altogether.
Dani:Yeah, there was even a lost Royal ship the HMS Barfleur, so we stretch a lot of different elements.
Q: Can you tell us more about the game’s ‘Ratoidvania’ genre as a play on Metroidvania and how you think that impacts the story?
Sergio:Okay, first of all, Ratoidvania is a word that we love, it’s not like we are creating a genre. It was more of a funny and marketing inspired word, so we can differentiate it, and Metroidvanias are super popular. It was this term Ratoidvania, so people are like, ‘what is this?’ Especially the fans ofthe Metroidvania genre. But also, yes, thinking about how’s it’s affecting a Metroidvania because of these characters in the game. That is a strength of choosing rats for the game and how we can use this to make a really good Metroidvania. But everybody loves this word, Ratoidvania - it’s catchy, and it really helped us a lot when we started the Kickstarter campaign. We were super successful, I think, by this love of this label we put on the product.
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Q: So how did games likeHollow KnightandDiabloinspire the game?
Dani:Yeah, the thing is that everyone thinks that when you are making a Metroidvania, you are only inspired by other Metroidvanias. But we have different people in the team– we like different genres, we play different games, so everyone in the team has put a little of their own of what they like. We have people who love playing Metroidvanias and other games from different genres, but there’s always something we can pick regarding the visuals, the skills trees, the running, or how quickly inventory works or the maps. Our main inspirations are Metroidvanias for sure, we are huge fans of the genre. We also pick some nice things about other games likeDiablo, for example.
Sergio:Yeah, I meanHollow Knightis a masterpiece, a big influence. Just a lot of games where we were picking things or ideas, but it was influential. As Dani mentioned, it’s an action-adventure Metroidvania, so we’ve added a little platforming too, and RPG. We are living in a sense of a new age of Metroidvania. And we were thinking everyone loves a Metroidvania, it’s like a pizza, it’s the ingredients that you put in the pizza, so it was kind of all the team putting in ideas that we’d love to see this in the game, and that’s how we came up with cool features like the local multiplayer for up to four players. It was something radical added to the game.
That’s really interesting, a real team effort.
Q: That’s lovely – really cool. Could you tell us more about how inspirations like Disney’sAladdinandDragon Lairinspired the game’s hand-drawn art style?
Dani:Yeah sure, as we said before, we are old men [laughs], so we grew up watching those movies, and we have many good memories about that older age of animation. Later, this kind of art was lost in the times of 3D animation, which is also great, but somehow it was a pity to lose this kind of hand-drawn animation, which was so, so lovely. And when we had this opportunity to think about different visuals for the game. We really wanted to bring back this kind of animated look for the game, and also bringing this different approach of having 3D backgrounds for the environments.
We have this sense of depth and perspective for the game as you walk around the environments, but also you have this super smooth movement of the characters, and this kind of beautiful action for the characters and the effects. We did some technical tests and we thought it was going to be hard, but it was worth it. So that was the first thing. Those movies were full of adventure and full of fun exploration and cool characters, so we always go there and look at the originals and the reference is super useful for us.
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Sergio:Yeah, at the end of the day, it’s just creating the games that you love to play, and all these inspirations from movies, animation, and also comics – we’re always gathering ideas from all kinds of arts. It was also kind of a way to differentiate in the market. We went for thehand-drawn animationto grab the attention of the people because it’s kind of a lost art, now that everything is 3D. You can get amazing visuals with 3D, but there’s something magical about 2D hand-drawn art – stretching the characters, the actions, the expressions, and also, it’s an art.
It’s very painful, because creating the game with these crafts and little details. Sometimes you need time, and you need a big talented team to bring these characters alive. But at the end, when you see everything together, it’s very unique, very original. It’s very inspiring to see. Also, we were born as a studio not only creating games, but we also want to create IP stories and characters that maybe in the future could be a comic, a movie, a series. So, we are ambitious, but it takes time. The idea was let’s focus on the game as a beginning of a transmedia IP that we can then explore the world, the characters, and create more stories around these heroes.
Q: The magic of the hand-drawn art style - what do you think that adds to the experience for players?
Dani:Yes, the movement of the characters is very different because it’s fluid, you have threats, you have squads. These kind of different things that you can also add those things to more animated 2D characters or you can add it in 3D, but when it’s hand-drawn, it’s direct from the animator’s head and imagination to the line that you see. And the fact that you are hand-drawn animating, it affects only one side of the characters so you always have to take that into account. You have to put just the little details that really adds to the character or the mood of the story. Because every little detail should be animated by hand, it’s hard to do it. So if you keep, for instance, a glove or scarf, it’s because it’s adding something to the silhouette of the character or to the action.
So, in the end, when you decide to work with hand-drawn animation, you are making some things that affect all across the project, and making this experience so unique and so different from other kinds of visuals. And it’s very interesting and very fun to be part of this magic happening. I think for the player, it’s not something that you can reduce to one sentence or whatever. It’s something that you will feel as long as you will be playing the game. You will sense this kind of fluidness or smoothness in the movements, the magic, and everything.
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It’s almost like stepping back in time and being in those movies that you grew up with, in a way, and bringing it to life.
Dani and Sergio:Yeah!
Dani:Yeah, it’s expensive, it’s hard, because most indie games, they’re approach to this kind of games is more like having a good story arc or adding a story more related to the world itself, but then they are focusing on the game mechanics or the game feel of the movement of the character. But most of them are using facial animations. There are lots of characters without moles and even eyes because it’s easier to animate, and you are just focusing on action or whatever.
When we decided to put these four different characters with different personalities and with facial animations, because they have moles, they have eyes, so sometimes they have to be angry, sometimes happy, all this kind of stuff, it’s very hard to animate everything. But at the end of the day, you have these cool characters that feel alive, and you will feel the difference between them. So, it’s easier to make an emotional connection with the characters, I think.
Q: Can you tell us more about the game’s combat, like the rat’s unique abilities?
Dani:Yeah, regarding the rats, the rodent style of running, I think it’s the most fun or unique thing that we have, because you may run four legs like a rat. So, it’s very funny, and it makes the movement of the characters very interesting. And also, it operates more like close combat, melee combat mostly. But we also have different characters with ranged attacks, and also you have different skill trees with different magical attacks - different things even that you can summon some creatures that follow you in the game. So, it’s very diverse I would say.
You can choose your own way of playing the game, but it’s mostly melee combat. It’s more likeCastlevaniathanMetroid, in this way of, if you want to somehow defineSea Ratsin this Metroidvania universe. We are more likeCastlevania,Blasphemous, those kind of games, thanAxiom VergeorMetroid.
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Sergio:Yeah and so, the coolest thing about four different players, different skills, different formats, different combat is it adds also a lot of value when you’re playing with your friends or your family in multiplayer. You can create a super group of different skills, and it is very unique when you see people play in multiplayer. The different strategies, everyone is talking. It’s not only what we create in the screen - we are also deciding what is happening in the room with your friends and adding these different skills to the main characters, the playable characters. It’s always something very unique and original.
Q: Would you seeing the whole team come together adds to the gameplay experience?
Dani:Yeah, we identified one issue with other Metroidvanias. They are usually a bit hard to play or not so easy. Some people get stuck at points, and they don’t finish the game. We wanted to introduce multiplayer not just to play the whole game in multiplayer, but to give you the opportunity to talk to a friend, family, partner, or whatever and just say, ‘join me in this adventure and help me to beat this boss,’ and then maybe you will continue later alone. It’s more like this kind of approach to the gaming. you may start playing alone but then if you have a friend in the house – ‘hey, let’s play together’ and he or she can jump into the game.
Which is quite unique to your game, isn’t it?
Sergio:It adds replayability, it makes it easier to play. Not that it’s easier to play the game in multiplayer, but you can definitely create different strategies, characters, combat skills, and abilities. Even your personality as a player – you know, I prefer combat from a distance or there’s other people that are like no, ‘I want to be the tank, the one that receives the beatings and everything.’ So, it creates more replayability and every time you play the game because you try different things, it’s giving more value to the community, to the fans, to the players.
Q: So, how important are the skill upgrade trees to the game, and how important is upgrading?
Dani:I would say it makes it easier for you to progress, and it also makes it funnier – these kind of different options for you to maybe enjoy more of the fun experience. But you can progress without completing the skill trees. You can rely on your own abilities and the basic skills that you get defeating some bosses. So, the skill tree is more like something that’s optional I would say, but sometimes necessary in the end. But you can speed run without upgrading the skill tree so much.
Q: How challenging are the game’sbosses and enemies? Sometimes you’ll need a skills tree, but sometimes it’s not as important?
Dani:It really depends because, we have four completely different characters. So, if you like to go through the game with just one character, maybe you’re going to be stuck because some are harder, but you can for sure beat them with the skill tree and everything. But there are bosses that are easier with one of the four characters, so the other approach is to switch characters and find which one is better for each boss and each situation.
So, it really depends on the player. And if you play multiplayer, you have the option of using different skills at the same time so, we think it’s well-balanced in this way. Someone who likes to go fast and go from one boss to another very fast will find that maybe hard. But if you level up your character and unlock skills and even if you play with a friend, it’s easy enough to go through the game and enjoy the whole story.
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Sergio:I will add to what Dani is saying that for us as a team as a studio, we believe we are living in this modern age of Metroidvania - it’s core to the video game story. And bosses are super important, especially for the hardcore gamers inthe Metroidvania genre- you know, give me some boss that is really a challenge. But at the same time, we want to give more access to the genre to other players who maybe aren’t really into Metroidvania.
So we wanted to find a balance between hardcore gamers that want to have fun with challenging bosses. Misfits - they are amazing bosses, in league with the most evil pirate witch ever. But at the same time, if you are like, ‘okay this is going to be the game that introduces me to the genre, so I have to train and develop the strengths of the character that you can also have this joyful experience with. Like, oh yeah, I beat this boss, you know?’ So as Dani said, you can always have multiplayer as it can be very helpful to beat these bosses.
Dani:And also you can farm some enemies, get some points, and buy potions or other special items that will help you in the boss fights. So this takes more time, but if you like a slow pace, it’s okay. You can do it that way.
Q: How punishing is the game if the player’s character dies?
Dani:You have plenty of save points, and you also have teleports. So if you die, you respawn in the last save point and you lose half of your speed, which is the coin you use to unlock skills in the skill tree. So, you are punished but not so much. You are not starting from the beginning or losing skills or whatever. And if you plan your journey around the map, there’s always a save point near the boss fights. We made some adjustments as sometimes it was not so easy when you were defeated by a boss to get to the boss room and start fighting again. But I think if you take your time, it’s not so punishing.
Q: Is there anything else that you’d like to add that we haven’t already covered today?
Sergio:For me, I don’t know what it going to happen with the debut, but if somebody in Disney is reading this, we are ready to work with you guys - we love you, and it will definitely be an amazing dream to work with you, now that we are growing and learning more and more about creating games, but also creating really iconic characters that just entertain everybody. We make games, but we want to do even more things adding to the IP we are creating, and definitely our dream at this moment is well, see what happens with the launch of the game.
We had more than six thousand backers from the Kickstarter campaign, so we have a huge community that is growing, and hopefully everybody loves the game and enjoys it. We put our souls, blood and tears, a lot of tears, into it, and hopefully we can continue the adventures of theSea Ratswith more stories and adventures, so this is just the beginning. We are thinking about DLCs and maybe, who knows, a sequel, or just developing this universe we are creating. But again, Disney, we are ready! [both laugh].
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Curse of the Sea Ratswill release on June 21, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
