About the Game

Introducing the Sanity System

* In development, subject to change.

Sanity System Overview – Tyro: Legend of Whisperwood

Tyro has two survival resources:

  1. Health Bar – Represents his physical endurance.
    If depleted, he enters a Fugue State instead of dying.
  2. Sanity Gauge – Represents his mental stability.
    If depleted, Tyro experiences distorted reality, hallucinations, and time warping effects.

Both bars work separately but influence each other—damage directly lowers
Sanity, and low Sanity makes survival harder.

Sanity Points & Sanity Gauge Mechanics

Tyro begins the game with a set amount of SANITY POINTS, which define the Sanity in the Sanity Gauge.

  • Certain choices in the game permanently increase or decrease
    this cap, determining Tyro’s long-term mental resilience.
  • The Sanity Gauge itself depletes when Tyro takes damage from physical attacks or mental trauma.
  • Safe Havens and other checkpoints can fully restore the Sanity Gauge..

What Depletes the Sanity Gauge?

  • Direct Damage → Getting hit by enemies lowers both Health and Sanity.
  • Gladeblight Exposure → Prolonged exposure steadily drains Sanity.
  • Terrifying Events → Witnessing disturbing scenes or traumatic flashbacks causes sudden sanity drops.
  • Major Story Traumas → Critical story moments (e.g., Sylvie’s ghostly presence) trigger heavy Sanity loss.

Sanity Thresholds & Effects

Sanity Gauge Effects on Gameplay
Stable (80-100%) Normal gameplay. No distortions. Clear perception of the world.
Unsettled (50-79%) Faint whispers, subtle environmental shifts. Some hidden paths may begin appearing.
Fractured (25-49%) Frequent hallucinations, phantom enemies, NPCs glitch between friendly/hostile,
hidden objects and paths appear/disappear.
Broken (1-24%) Time warps (periodic slowdowns/speedups), severe hallucinations, distorted audio,
unstable NPCs, access to secret areas that only exist in Tyro’s mind.
Madness (0%) Reality collapses—forced hallucinations, environments shift unpredictably, no distinction
between real and imagined enemies.

Fugue State: Death & Respawn

When Tyro’s Health reaches 0, instead of dying, he enters a Fugue State, where:

  • The screen fades to white, and Sylvie’s whispers echo in the void.
  • Tyro respawns at the last Safe Haven with full Sanity restored.
  • NPCs may comment on his worsening condition, subtly acknowledging his mental decline.

There are no long-term penalties for Fugue State deaths—players are encouraged to experiment,
learn, and push through without fear of permanent consequences.

Sanity-Based Secrets & Hidden Content

Tyro’s sanity level directly alters the game world, unlocking bosses, cutscenes, power-ups, and puzzles
that would be invisible at other sanity levels.

1. Hidden Bosses (Sanity-Triggered Encounters)

Some bosses only appear when Tyro is at a specific sanity level, adding replay value and unique challenges:

🔥High Sanity Boss (Stable 80-100%)

  • A legendary warrior or guardian that only fights those with a strong mind.
  • Beating them rewards precise, refined abilities or max sanity increases.

💀Low Sanity Boss (Fractured 25-49% or Broken 1-24%)

  • A nightmare entity that only manifests when Tyro is unstable.
  • Defeating it grants a powerful but cursed ability that grows stronger the lower Tyro’s sanity is.

2. Hidden Cutscenes & Lore (Sanity-Triggered Memories)

Sanity levels alter the way Tyro perceives Whisperwood, unlocking unique cutscenes and hidden story details:

👁Stable Sanity (80-100%) – Clear-Headed Truths

  • Flashbacks of Tyro’s past before the Gladeblight spread.
  • NPCs reveal lore and hints about the true nature of the disease.

🌀Fractured Sanity (25-49%) – Distorted Memories

  • NPCs say cryptic things they normally wouldn’t or seem to know things about Tyro they shouldn’t.
  • Objects trigger eerie visions of events that don’t match Tyro’s memories.

🌑Broken Sanity (1-24%) – Terrifying Hallucinations

  • NPCs appear warped, whispering twisted versions of past events.
  • Sylvie’s voice calls out to Tyro, sometimes comforting, sometimes accusing.
  • A mysterious “figure” appears, leading to a secret area that only exists in this mental state.

3. Sanity-Dependent Power-Ups & Abilities

Some skills and power-ups are only available at specific sanity levels, rewarding players for embracing different mental states:

💡High Sanity Upgrade (Stable 80-100%) – Mind Over Matter

  • Tyro gains precise, refined abilities, such as:
    • ✔ A counter move that stuns enemies.
    • ✔ A focus mode that briefly slows time.

🩸Low Sanity Upgrade (Broken 1-24%) – Madness Strength

  • Tyro taps into his fractured mind for power:
    • ✔ Unpredictable attack patterns (faster but more erratic).
    • ✔ A “last stand” ability where attacks deal bonus damage when near 0 sanity.
    • ✔ An evasive dash that leaves behind phantom copies of himself, confusing enemies but also himself.

4. Sanity-Based Puzzles & Platforming

Some pathways and obstacles only exist when Tyro is at certain sanity levels:

🧐Low Sanity Paths (Hallucination Roads)

  • Certain bridges, platforms, or doorways only exist when Tyro’s sanity is low.
  • Some bosses or hidden items are only accessible through these phantom paths.

🏃‍♂️High Sanity Paths (Clear Perception)

  • At high sanity, some illusory obstacles disappear, revealing the real path forward.
  • Hidden platforms that seemed unreachable now make sense, allowing for safer exploration.

Maximum Sanity Points & Gameplay Impact

In addition to maintaining the Sanity Gauge, the maximum amount of Sanity Points Tyro has will determine his “Balance of Mind” status (BoM). Tyro’s BoM is separate from his Sanity Gauge. Unlike the thresholds on the Sanity Gauge which give temporary changes to how Tyro experiences the world, changes to Balance of Mind are permanent (as they are based on Tyro’s maximum Sanity Points, not what is available in his Sanity Gauge). Max Sanity Points go up or down based on choices the player makes at key points in the game. So when Maximum Sanity Points change, it doesn’t just affect the speed at which Tyro can reach certain Sanity Gauge thresholds, it effects his Balance of Mind, which has long-term implications within the game.

Balance of Mind Thresholds & Effects

🔵 Ascended Mind (151+ Max Sanity Points)

  • Grants access to powerful Memory Relics with no drawbacks.
  • Represents Tyro’s ability to “remember” those who have died.
  • Encourages a careful, methodical playstyle.

🧠 Stable Mind (120-150 Max Sanity Points)

  • No major effects. Tyro can interact with all NPCs normally.

🌙 Fading Mind (60-119 Max Sanity Points)

  • Some NPCs refuse to interact, but new ones appear.
  • Closes some questlines while opening others.

💀 Shattered Mind (30-59 Max Sanity Points)

  • Certain quests become unavailable.
  • Unlocks new questlines inaccessible at higher sanity.

🔥 Abyss-Touched (0-29 Max Sanity Points)

  • Joins the Whispered Choir, gaining access to cursed relic merchants.
  • Certain enemies ignore Tyro, allowing access to exclusive areas, bosses, and events.
  • Encourages an aggressive, high-risk playstyle.

Gameplay Tradeoff: High SP vs. Low SP

  • 🛡 High BoM (151+ SP, Ascended Mind) – Safe power, noble and methodical playstyle.
  • 🩸 Low BoM (0-29 SP, Abyss-Touched) – High power at great risk, reckless and chaotic playstyle.

Our Intentions

Our goal is that this system makes Tyro: Legend of Whisperwood not just your standard Metroidvania, but a deeply immersive survival experience, where players must strategically manage both Health and Sanity. Every decision shapes Tyro’s long-term resilience, creating unique playthroughs, hidden content, and psychological depth.