<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
is	O
a	O
puzzle	O
adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
American-Canadian	O
indie	O
developer	O
Greg	B-Application
Lobanov	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
music-themed	O
game	O
,	O
it	O
follows	O
The	O
Bard	B-Application
,	O
a	O
wandering	O
singer	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
go	O
on	O
a	O
quest	O
to	O
gather	O
pieces	O
of	O
a	O
song	O
that	O
will	O
save	O
their	O
world	O
from	O
destruction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
uses	O
The	O
Bard	B-Application
's	O
singing	O
to	O
affect	O
the	O
environment	O
,	O
solve	O
puzzles	O
,	O
and	O
defend	O
against	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
September	O
2018	O
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
in	O
January	O
2019	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
in	O
December	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
is	O
a	O
side-scrolling	O
puzzle	O
and	O
adventure	O
game	O
that	O
uses	O
music	O
as	O
a	O
puzzle-solving	O
mechanic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
character	O
can	O
sing	O
to	O
cause	O
events	O
to	O
occur	O
in	O
the	O
environment	O
around	O
them	O
,	O
using	O
a	O
coloured	O
"	O
song	O
wheel	O
"	O
with	O
eight	O
directions	O
,	O
each	O
representing	O
musical	O
notes	O
spanning	O
an	O
octave	B-Language
,	O
which	O
is	O
controlled	O
by	O
the	O
mouse	B-Device
on	O
a	O
computer	O
setup	O
,	O
or	O
the	O
right	O
thumbstick	O
on	O
a	O
controller	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
protagonist	O
,	O
a	O
bard	B-Application
,	O
meets	O
a	O
messenger	O
of	O
the	O
goddess	O
Eya	O
in	O
a	O
dream	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
messenger	O
tells	O
them	O
that	O
the	O
world	O
is	O
ending	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
is	O
not	O
"	O
The	O
Hero	O
"	O
of	O
prophecy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
seven	O
"	O
Overseers	O
"	O
knows	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
the	O
Earthsong	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
is	O
tasked	O
with	O
learning	O
the	O
songs	O
corresponding	O
to	O
the	O
Overseers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
Overseer	O
's	O
song	O
allows	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
to	O
travel	O
to	O
their	O
domain	O
in	O
the	O
spirit	O
world	O
and	O
ask	O
for	O
their	O
piece	O
of	O
the	O
Earthsong	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bard	B-Application
travels	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
with	O
a	O
witch	O
named	O
Miriam	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
make	O
friends	O
in	O
each	O
location	O
they	O
visit	O
as	O
they	O
search	O
for	O
the	O
Overseers	O
 '	O
songs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
third	O
Overseer	O
they	O
meet	O
is	O
abruptly	O
killed	O
by	O
a	O
stranger	O
before	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
can	O
learn	O
the	O
piece	O
of	O
the	O
Earthsong	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bard	B-Application
is	O
able	O
to	O
learn	O
the	O
piece	O
of	O
the	O
Earthsong	O
from	O
the	O
dead	O
Overseer	O
,	O
having	O
gained	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
speak	O
to	O
ghosts	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
Overseer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bard	B-Application
and	O
Miriam	O
continue	O
travelling	O
in	O
hopes	O
that	O
the	O
completed	O
Earthsong	O
may	O
still	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
save	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Miriam	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
initially	O
cynical	O
and	O
distrusting	O
of	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
,	O
gradually	O
grows	O
to	O
value	O
their	O
friendship	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bard	B-Application
tries	O
to	O
convince	O
Audrey	O
to	O
give	O
up	O
on	O
her	O
quest	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
title	O
of	O
"	O
Hero	O
"	O
is	O
not	O
what	O
makes	O
her	O
special	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Audrey	O
rejects	O
this	O
and	O
kills	O
the	O
last	O
Overseer	O
before	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
can	O
learn	O
the	O
Earthsong	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bard	B-Application
sings	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
the	O
people	O
they	O
met	O
on	O
their	O
journey	O
respond	O
in	O
harmony	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
messenger	O
of	O
Eya	O
tells	O
the	O
Bard	B-Application
that	O
their	O
song	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
Earthsong	O
,	O
but	O
something	O
new	O
that	O
harmonized	O
with	O
Eya	O
's	O
song	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
developed	O
in	O
GameMaker	B-Operating_System
Studio	I-Operating_System
by	O
Greg	B-Application
Lobanov	I-Application
,	O
who	O
had	O
also	O
built	O
a	O
custom	O
level	O
editor	O
and	O
audio	O
editor	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
funded	O
through	O
a	O
Kickstarter	O
campaign	O
that	O
successfully	O
raised	O
US$	O
21,936	O
from	O
989	O
contributors	O
in	O
February	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lobanov	O
invented	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
song	O
wheel	O
"	O
mechanic	O
as	O
a	O
way	O
to	O
encourage	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
experiment	O
with	O
the	O
environment	O
,	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
the	O
specificity	O
of	O
other	O
music-related	O
mechanics	O
in	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ocarina	I-Application
of	I-Application
Time	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
wheel	O
was	O
designed	O
with	O
accessibility	O
in	O
mind	O
;	O
Lobanov	O
designed	O
Wandersong	B-Application
so	O
that	O
the	O
solutions	O
to	O
puzzles	O
would	O
always	O
be	O
hinted	O
at	O
through	O
direction	O
,	O
rather	O
than	O
sound	O
and	O
colour	O
alone	O
,	O
allowing	O
players	O
with	O
color	O
blindness	O
or	O
hearing	O
loss	O
to	O
solve	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
puzzles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
puzzles	O
in	O
Wandersong	B-Application
were	O
reworked	O
from	O
their	O
initial	O
,	O
more	O
complex	O
iterations	O
,	O
after	O
game	O
testers	O
and	O
patrons	O
at	O
conventions	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
showcased	O
during	O
development	O
,	O
found	O
them	O
difficult	O
or	O
hard	O
to	O
understand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
paper	O
cutout	O
"	O
art	O
style	O
is	O
primarily	O
inspired	O
by	O
Kirby	B-Application
's	I-Application
Epic	I-Application
Yarn	I-Application
and	O
its	O
"	O
physical	O
feeling	O
"	O
,	O
the	O
simplicity	O
of	O
which	O
was	O
also	O
easier	O
for	O
Lobanov	O
to	O
work	O
with	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
sole	O
programmer	O
and	O
artist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
visuals	O
have	O
drawn	O
comparisons	O
by	O
observers	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Wind	I-Application
Waker	I-Application
and	O
the	O
Paper	B-Device
Mario	I-Device
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
apocalyptic	O
setting	O
of	O
Wandersong	B-Application
is	O
juxtaposed	O
with	O
an	O
optimistic	O
and	O
positive	O
atmosphere	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lobanov	O
felt	O
that	O
a	O
completely	O
positive	O
atmosphere	O
would	O
result	O
in	O
a	O
"	O
really	O
empty	O
experience	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
decided	O
to	O
add	O
tension	O
through	O
"	O
really	O
dark	O
,	O
scary	O
,	O
big	O
things	O
"	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
and	O
opposing	O
it	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
carefree	O
,	O
happy	O
response	O
"	O
from	O
The	O
Bard	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
created	O
by	O
Lobanov	O
and	O
Gordon	O
McGladdery	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
the	O
director	O
of	O
A	O
Shell	O
in	O
the	O
Pit	O
,	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
sound	O
design	O
and	O
music	O
production	O
company	O
known	O
for	O
their	O
work	O
on	O
indie	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Duelyst	B-Application
,	O
Parkitect	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Rogue	B-Application
Legacy	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
sound	O
design	O
was	O
produced	O
in	O
REAPER	B-Application
by	O
A	O
Shell	O
in	O
the	O
Pit	O
's	O
Em	O
Halberstadt	O
,	O
who	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
Night	B-Application
in	I-Application
the	I-Application
Woods	I-Application
as	O
a	O
sound	O
designer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
a	O
departure	O
from	O
Halberstadt	O
's	O
ambient	O
style	O
and	O
foley	O
production	O
for	O
Night	B-Application
in	I-Application
the	I-Application
Woods	I-Application
and	O
employed	O
a	O
more	O
musical	O
direction	O
that	O
also	O
involved	O
character	O
voices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
each	O
sound	O
effect	O
in	O
Wandersong	B-Application
,	O
an	O
entire	O
scale	O
of	O
variations	O
were	O
created	O
in	O
Kontakt	O
to	O
fit	O
the	O
scale	O
of	O
the	O
background	O
music	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
appear	O
with	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
eight-track	O
extended	O
play	O
featuring	O
McGladdery	O
's	O
music	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
entitled	O
Wandersong	B-Application
:	O
Dreams	O
&	O
Wonder	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
8	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
7	O
"	O
single	O
limited	O
to	O
750	O
copies	O
featuring	O
the	O
tracks	O
"	O
Sailing	O
with	O
the	O
Coffee	O
Pirates	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Dreamscape	O
"	O
was	O
released	O
by	O
Yetee	O
Records	O
on	O
May	O
17	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
showcased	O
at	O
GDC	O
2016	O
,	O
PAX	O
West	O
2016	O
,	O
PAX	O
West	O
2017	O
,	O
Day	O
of	O
the	O
Devs	O
2017	O
,	O
and	O
PAX	O
West	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Humble	O
Bundle	O
's	O
publishing	O
imprint	O
"	O
Presented	O
by	O
Humble	O
Bundle	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
27	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
on	O
macOS	B-Application
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
through	O
the	O
Humble	O
Bundle	O
Store	O
and	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
and	O
on	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
through	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
wave	O
of	O
games	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
with	O
the	O
GameMaker	B-Operating_System
Studio	I-Operating_System
2	I-Operating_System
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
license	O
,	O
with	O
Hyper	B-Application
Light	I-Application
Drifter	I-Application
and	O
Undertale	B-Application
also	O
being	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Switch	O
in	O
September	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
later	O
released	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
via	O
the	O
PlayStation	O
Store	O
on	O
January	O
22	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
via	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
for	I-Application
PC	I-Application
on	O
June	O
9	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
via	O
the	B-Application
Microsoft	I-Application
Store	I-Application
on	O
December	O
6	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
made	O
available	O
through	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
for	O
Console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
saw	O
a	O
troubled	O
release	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
erroneously	O
tagged	O
for	O
review	O
under	O
Valve	O
's	O
policies	O
against	O
games	O
that	O
intentionally	O
inflated	O
users	O
 '	O
statistics	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
achievements	O
and	O
trading	O
card	O
progression	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Trading	O
cards	O
and	O
achievements	O
for	O
Wandersong	B-Application
were	O
inaccessible	O
to	O
players	O
,	O
who	O
could	O
not	O
add	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
their	O
"	O
favorite	O
games	O
"	O
lists	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
the	O
policy	O
until	O
January	O
9	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
when	O
Valve	O
,	O
the	O
developers	O
of	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
contacted	O
Lobanov	O
via	O
email	O
,	O
describing	O
the	O
error	O
as	O
a	O
glitch	B-Error_Name
in	O
which	O
Steam	B-Application
did	O
not	O
update	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
store	O
page	O
correctly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sales	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
were	O
not	O
impacted	O
by	O
the	O
error	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
"	O
according	O
to	O
review	O
aggregator	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Giada	O
Zavarise	O
of	O
Rock	O
,	O
Paper	O
,	O
Shotgun	O
wrote	O
that	O
Wandersong	B-Application
"	O
wants	O
to	O
make	O
you	O
smile	O
"	O
and	O
noted	O
its	O
accessibility	O
for	O
players	O
who	O
are	O
colorblind	O
or	O
deaf	O
,	O
but	O
remarked	O
that	O
the	O
puzzles	O
and	O
platforming	O
make	O
it	O
"	O
less	O
instantly	O
accessible	O
than	O
,	O
say	O
,	O
 [ ... ] 	O
Night	B-Application
in	I-Application
the	I-Application
Woods	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Javy	O
Gwaltney	O
's	O
review	O
for	O
Game	O
Informer	O
criticized	O
Wandersong	B-Application
platforming	O
and	O
rhythm	O
segments	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
the	O
gameplay	O
"	O
is	O
n't	O
much	O
fun	O
"	O
and	O
lacks	O
depth	O
or	O
challenge	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
characters	O
are	O
"	O
charming	O
enough	O
to	O
keep	O
things	O
engaging	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
named	O
the	O
9th	O
best	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
game	O
of	O
2018	O
and	O
the	O
13th	O
best	O
PC	O
game	O
of	O
2018	O
by	O
the	O
magazine	O
Paste	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
2019	O
Independent	O
Games	O
Festival	O
,	O
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
Excellence	O
in	O
Narrative	O
,	O
and	O
received	O
honorable	O
mentions	O
for	O
the	O
Seumas	O
McNally	O
Grand	O
Prize	O
,	O
Excellence	O
in	O
Visual	O
Art	O
,	O
and	O
Excellence	O
in	O
Audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Awards	O
,	O
Wandersong	B-Application
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
Best	O
Interactive	O
Score	O
and	O
Best	O
Sound	O
Design	O
for	O
an	O
Indie	O
Game	O
.	O
</s>
