A new masterpiece made of paper and passion is about to see the light. We are talking about Pirofauna, the next video game by Petums.
Petums has announced the development of a new title, Pirofauna, a worthy successor to the entirely paper-made work of art, Papetura.
When I first came across Papetura, I instantly fell in love with this little masterpiece, an artistic expression by the talented Tom Ostafin, whom I was fortunate enough to interview. From that interview, all the determination and tenacity of this young developer emerged, as he poured his heart and soul into realizing his ambitious project.
On May 13th, Tom posted on X announcing that, despite his initial intentions, Papetura would not remain his only video game.
Today, therefore, we will talk about Tom’s new creation, which is coming to life and which we are all eagerly looking forward to getting to know better.
A Flame in the Forest
Burn, tiny little Flame, burn…
Light up the misty forest, dispel the darkness…
Let tiny bugs emerge from the nooks and crannies, gazing at your spark.
The new protagonist of Tom Ostafin’s surreal world is no longer a sheet of paper, but a flame, the natural nemesis of the first.
However, it seems we will be dealing with a character who, besides fire and flames, exudes joy and enthusiasm from every pore, unlike the protagonist of Papetura, who seemed a bit grumpy and serious.
This little flame wanders in another mystical place, where light once again plays a co-starring role, taking the form of a dark and misty forest, gradually illuminated by the fire as the tiny flame passes through.
From the first trailer Petums has released, we can already see that our task will be to light up the darkness of the forest simply by walking and occasionally bursting into more intense flames.
Thanks to this, we will help lost and frightened worms and chase away hostile creatures.
The insects, inhabitants of this dark, light-starved world, weave tales about the flame, blurred by the passage of time. When they encounter it – not very often – they hold it in great reverence, considering it one of the Elements. Sometimes they fear it and avoid it, other times they welcome it into their village or ask for its help.
The goal will be to fill this gloomy and misty forest with life, where the worm-inhabitants of the various villages will tell us many stories.
Who is Petums?
Petums is essentially Tomasz Ostafin, an independent developer with a solid background in Architecture and Urban Planning, who at some point felt the need to bring one of his personal ideas to life by transforming it into a video game. He was deeply moved and inspired by works such as Machinarium and The Neverhood.
Unable to join a development team like Amanita, he decided to create his first work independently.
In Papetura, Ostafin collaborated with composer Tomas Dvorak and sound engineer Juraj Mravac, who gave the game a perfect atmosphere, matching its ethereal and contemplative tones.
Thanks to the success of this exceptional experiment – Papetura has won numerous awards for its visual aspects (IGF Excellence, etc.) – especially among the public, Petums is back in action, once again collaborating with Tomas Dvorak (aka Floex), who will handle the sound for Pirofauna.
The unique style of Tomasz Ostafin
The now recognizable style of Tom Ostafin is seen here slightly refined and ethereal, but perfectly consistent with his established expression.
The creation is comparable to that of Papetura, with paper as the medium, crafted into meticulously studied forms and architectures.
Paper – of all kinds, from toilet paper to sandwich paper – scissors, and glue, just like in school. Basic materials of creation and creativity, which in Ostafin’s hands reach truly high levels of technical and artistic expression.
But Tom is not just an exceptional sculptor. The conscious and expressive use of lights we already saw in Papetura seems even more studied and symbolic here. Experimenting with various lamps and LEDs, in the dark, without seeing sunlight, immersing himself in a fantastic world, as unreal as it is tangible, has already led to the creation of a unique work.
But Pirofauna even has light itself as the absolute protagonist, which will undoubtedly allow us to enjoy its expressive power.
However, there’s an interesting novelty in Pirofauna: this time, everything will gain a third dimension, bringing further depth to this new, fantastic world.
Irony and Sacredness
Tom Ostafin’s imaginative, particularly fairy-tale-like perspective, bestows his creations with an air of innocence and purity, yet with a subtle ironic touch. In Papetura, there were grotesque undertones that seem softened in Pirofauna, giving way to a more sacred atmosphere.
An elegant yet bizarre style, total dedication, and sheer willpower have already made Papetura iconic. Pirofauna holds the same promise, but with technical novelties – such as three-dimensionality – a more conscious and refined execution, and new, interesting positive messages, perhaps even more studied and complex.
In the simplicity of his stories, Tom, however, weaves in important themes, such as – in Papetura – the sacrifice of a parent for a child. This was a crucial theme for the developer, who wanted it to be the central focus of the story. But, as he himself admitted, perhaps he didn’t manage to convey it as he wished, and it somewhat took a back seat.
I believe that, having gained techniques, know-how, and having resolved potential issues encountered in the first work, Tom can now dedicate himself more to storytelling, and perhaps this time he will be able to express his message and values in a more direct and articulate manner.
We have to wait, but not too much…
For the same reason as above, as Tom himself has stated, we won’t have to wait another seven years before returning to his magical and evocative realms.
It’s premature for Petums to comment on the actual timeline, just as it is to define the story behind Pirofauna, of which we can, for now, recognize the symbolic and mythological aspects and some main characters. What is evident, however, is the unmistakable quality of the work of someone who, with immense passion, grants us the privilege of entering his personal visionary worlds.
In conclusion, this is how Tom Ostafin described Pirofauna to us:
“Game is about finding happiness in setting things on fire. I mean… in helping others.”
