The Simon the Sorcerer brand has entertained fans for almost 30 years and the launch of the Origins prequel will look to bring a fresh, modern reimagining of this classic adventure game franchise. 

Paving the way for many of the beloved point and click graphic adventures that have been entertaining fans for almost 30 years, Simon the Sorcerer stole the hearts of gamers when it was released on MS DOS and Amiga computers. Applying modern visuals and cutting edge gameplay mechanics to the development of Simon the Sorcerer - Origins will be highly appealing to fans of the original titles as well as engaging a new generation of gamers excited for the current revival of these classic franchises.  

Simon the Sorcerer - Origins is the official prequel to the original Simon the Sorcerer game and transports players back to a few weeks before the events of the first episode. The game world is crafted with a modern visual style filled with seamless realtime sequences, magic and puzzle solving tied together with an engrossing storyline that will finally answer some important questions raised by fans from the first game. 

Simon's rebellious life will be shattered by the unexpected arrival in the wizarding world where he will unleash an absurd and ancient prophecy that will trigger a lot of trouble! During his adventure, the rebellious Simon will do something great, obtaining moral redemption and proving that he is not just a disappointment to his parents.

He will meet his guide and mentor: Calypso. Thanks to this encounter, Simon will be able to gain a new friend who will represent a symbolic grandfather for him.

The narrative and gameplay paths unfold in countless ways without forgetting about the core elements of the saga: comedy and sarcasm. A strong bond with these features has been maintained in the dialogues, situations, and animations. Simon will often break the fourth wall by speaking directly to the players. “Hey, I am talking to you, the future player I can magically sense who is reading the Steam Page about my game!”

The 90s were a golden age for video games: the boom of graphic adventures and role-playing games, the buzz of crowded arcade halls, and the pivotal shift to three-dimensional graphics signaled that the world was ready for a new form of artistic expression. Among the numerous works that established a blueprint for the video game industry’s future, those with a sense of nostalgia will fondly remember Simon the Sorcerer. This 2D point-and-click adventure, conceived by the creative minds of Simon and Mike Woodroffe and developed by Adventure Soft, originally made its debut on the PC in 1993. This title influenced an entire generation of gamers and continues to be remembered as a major milestone in the history of interactive entertainment. 

To mark the 30th anniversary of the saga, Leonardo Interactive announces the 2024 release (originally planned for March 2023) of Simon the Sorcerer Origins across all platforms.

This bold and ambitious project is driven by the passion and dedication of Massimo Calamai, Founder and Game Director of the Smallthing Studio, and Fabrizio Rizzo, Lead Game and Narrative Designer. The duo took inspiration from the iconic 90s classic to craft a fresh starting point that celebrates the series’ past, all the while embracing modern innovation. 

Simon the Sorcerer Origins is set just before the events of the original game, creating a direct link to those iconic moments with an entirely new and surprising perspective. The game’s graphic style, with its entirely hand-drawn illustrations and animations, demonstrates a perfect blend of modern artistic expressions and is a visual testament to the spirit of renewal championed by Smallthing Studios. This brand-new Simon still preserves the defining characteristics of the series that have stood out over the decades: the strong personality of the young, rebellious, and somewhat sarcastic protagonist continues to take center stage, now enriched with more emotional, profound, and contemporary nuances. This approach extends to the game modes, offering a blend of past and present that allows both long-time fans and new players to choose between the classic point-and-click gameplay or a more current version, optimized for all devices, with direct control of Simon.

Testament to the international scope of the new Simon and the Sorcerer Origins are the numerous surprises on the horizon, not least of which is the inclusion of a track by renowned singer-songwriter and musician Rick Astley in the soundtrack. 

Key Features:

• Legacy - A tale that travels through time from a legendary past towards a great future.
• This is not a remake, guys! - Simon the Sorcerer Origins is a brand new game with its roots deeply bonded with the contemporary gaming world.
• Stunning 2D Art -Simon the Sorcerer Origins' visuals and animations, refined in every detail, let the player live his adventure in a continuous flow that goes from gameplay to cutscenes and vice-versa.
• Puzzle and Comedy - The player will encounter a wide range of different kinds of puzzles. You could either challenge your wits with the classical “take and use” ones, seasoned with unexpected comedy interludes, or you can be called to solve magical arquebuses that will require the help of a little bit of sorcery. Hunt for clues, objects to combine, and all the weird stuff in the middle to reach the skill of a decent mage.
• Original License - This is a canonical chapter of Simon's saga.
• Easter Eggs - Look for them because they could be anywhere, also in a description of a Steam Page.

Simon the Sorcerer Origins is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam) in 2024