Lil’ Guardsman: Everything We Know

Hilltop Studios and publisher Versus Evil have come together to announce Lil’ Guardsman, a point-and-click “deduction adventure” game that will reportedly cast players as a twelve-year-old gatekeeper in charge of admitting citizens into a kingdom. So, a visual novel of sorts, and one that trickles on a similar wavelength to the likes of Coffee Talk—only with less cappuccino art and more beginner-friendly puzzles and cutesy comradery.

So, what more do you need to know about the upcoming indie project, other than the fact it’s heading to consoles and PC later this year? Well, here’s what we’ve been able to gather on the game since it first came to light earlier this week. Lil’ Guardsman: what, when, and why?

What Is Lil’ Guardsman?

Lil’ Guardsman is an upcoming social deduction game by Hilltop Studios. In this artsy adventure, players will take on the role of Lil—a 12-year-old hero who is tasked with filling in for his father as the kingdom’s gatekeeper. As such, eagle-eyed keepers will need to speak with “over 100 unique characters” and decide their fates—something that will not only determine their outcomes, but the future of the city as a whole.

From what we’ve seen so far, Lil’ Guardsman will center its world around the art of conversation. And while there may be a few added puzzles and filler elements to boot, the heart of the adventure will remain in its drawn-out talks and hearty backstories. So, if you’re a fan of games like Coffee Talk, then you’re sure to find something to love with this harmless little number when it drops later on this year.

In Hilltop Studios’ words, Lil’ Guardsman is a “wonderful combination of deduction, narrative and puzzle games.”

Story

Turns out, your dad, who just so happens to be the go-to gatekeeper in the city, has taken a well earned break. The only issue here is that you, a twelve-year-old hero, will have to take his place and admit or reject the hundreds of outsiders knocking at the front door. Careful, though, as letting the wrong people in will apparently bring dire consequences—ones that will supposedly alter the face of the city and its long-term residents.

“See the Sprawl and its fantastical & quirky citizens through a royal wedding to one of two kingdoms vying for an alliance, and a subsequent siege by whoever you’ve angered in the process,” the official blurb reads in part. “Your decisions can determine the fate of the city and its people!”

Gameplay

According to the blurb, Lil’ Guardsman won’t just be about talking to strangers, but fully analyzing them with a series of tools found in your gate shed, too. In order to boost your chances of weeding out the goblins and the troublemakers, you will also need to earn gold and purchase new equipment that boosts your vision and overall judgement. And if you do happen to fail during your time as the unofficial decider of fates, you will have the opportunity to rewind time and try it all again. So that’s, you know, convenient.

In other words, “You will question humans, elves, goblins, cyclopes, and other fantasy creatures using your powers of deduction to determine who to admit or deny based on how they respond to your questions and your trusty tools. Sending visitors to jail, inadvertently zapping them to smithereens, or letting them go on their merry way are all part of the job. But be careful: who you let through the castle gates will determine the kingdom’s fate.” No pressure there, then.

Development

Hilltop Studios first announced its plans to bring Lil’ Guardsman to consoles and PC back in the beginning of April. Since making it official, the deduction adventure game has received a rather insightful trailer, and not to mention an option to add it to active wishlists over on Steam. Other than that, though, there has yet to be a release date set in stone.

“Lil’ Guardsman is being designed on PC/Mac, but with touchscreen (iOS) and controller (consoles – Nintendo Switch, XBOX, PlayStation) input in mind,” Hilltop Studios confirmed via its site. “Using narrative and logic puzzles, gameplay relies on how well the player manages information and clues that are doled out within an individual turn, round, or across the entire story.”

Trailer

So, you’ve brushed up on the key details — so what about seeing some of the actual gameplay? The good news there is that Hilltop Studios did in fact release a short preview of the game earlier this week. And not just a short and weightless cinematic, either, but a full-fledged trailer outlining a huge portion of the gameplay features, no less. You can see it for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Lil’ Guardsman will be heading to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2023. Does this mean it could find its way to the likes of Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus? In theory, yes, though nothing currently suggests it’ll arrive on either of the two. Still, never say never.

Perhaps it’s a little early to confirm, but at the time of writing, Hilltop Studios hasn’t mentioned anything about bringing any special or deluxe editions to the table. If anything of the sort does come knocking, then it’s sure to be announced over on its Steam handle here.

For more information on the Lil’ Guardsman launch, you can follow the official social feed here. If anything changes ahead of its release, we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Lil’ Guardsman when it drops? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.