Sunderfolk brings to life the feeling of playing a tabletop game with friends in video game form. Players work together to protect the town of Arden, nestled deep within the often dangerous Sunderlands. The meaning of the game’s title, Sunderfolk, is not immediately obvious. Does it simply refer to the townspeople of Arden themselves, or the player characters and their party, the foes they face, or all or perhaps none of the above? As the team at Dreamhaven and Secret Door explained, the meaning of “Sunderfolk” is a multi-layered one that effectively captures multiple elements of the game.
Game Rant spoke to Sunderfolk game director Erin Marek about the process of naming Sunderfolk and what it means. Marek explained that it is both literal, referring to the “sundering” that occurred within the game’s world, and metaphorical, as the people of Arden have had their lives uprooted and disturbed, or sundered, by the chaos that has shaken their world to the very core and changed their way of life. It is the goal of the player characters’ party, which consists of various classes like the magic-wielding Arcanist, barbarian-inspired Berserker, and more to heal that “sundering” by defending the town, facing many enemies, and working to heal the damaged world.
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The Sunderlands Are A World Cleaved Apart
“Sunder means to cleave, or split and separate,” Marek explained. “The story we’re telling in Sunderfolk starts with a world divided, where factions are isolated and at odds.” The central town, Arden, has indeed become quite isolated. Although it remains protected by the brightstone crystal it was built around, a mysterious substance called “shadowstone” threatens to corrupt the town and remove its protection. The players’ party must face down a variety of TTRPG-inspired foes and bosses to keep Arden and its residents safe from the dangers lurking in the Sunderlands.
It Is A Sundered World, But Also Filled With Warmth
Although the Sunderlands are dangerous and broken apart, there is a warmth in the world too. Sunderfolk has many elements of a cozy game, in that it is inhabited by adorable animal characters and features heartwarming moments when the party and the NPCs they bond with come together to protect their home. This is why “folk” was chosen as the second half of the game’s title, to evoke that feeling of warmth, coziness, and comfort. Marek explained the choice of “folk” in greater detail:
“While the world is divided, it’s also a warm world with animals trying to find a way to survive together in a harsh environment. Folk invokes a cozy feeling of shared camaraderie. The game is about coming together to play through a story with loved ones, which “folk” harkens to in a meta way.”
The Title Sunderfolk Works On Multiple Levels
“Sunder,” representing the world being torn apart, and “folk,” representing both the cozy elements of the game and friends coming together in a story-driven cooperative experience to protect the town and keep its denizens safe, combine to create Sunderfolk, a title with many layers of meaning. “Sunderfolk became the name of the denizens in our game,” Marek said, “but also represents the experience of the narrative we’re telling about a small piece of the world that is fractured but finds it way back together.”
Finally, the title also has a bit of a literal meaning as well. “The game is set underground,” explained Marek, “and having ‘under’ in the title is a subtle nod to that.” Sunderfolk takes place in a stunning underground world where mushrooms grow, crystals provide light, and monsters lurk in the shadows. Combining the reference to a world torn apart, the homey feel of “folk” coming together, and a literal reference to the underground setting, Sunderfolk is a title that accurately reflects many elements of this cooperative TTRPG-inspired video game.
Sunderfolk
- Released
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April 23, 2025
- ESRB
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E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
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Secret Door
- Multiplayer
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Local Co-Op
- Number of Players
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1-4
- PC Release Date
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April 23, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
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April 23, 2025
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