Factsheet
Developer:
Aoca Game Lab
Salvador — Bahia, Brazil
PC Release Date:
15 August, 2019 (Steam)
Mobile Release Dates:
29 June, 2022 (Android)
31 October, 2022 (iOS)
Console Release Dates:
21 November, 2024 (Xbox)
21 November, 2024 (Nintendo)
Platforms:
PC / Mobile / Console
Regular Price:
USD $6.99 for PC
USD $10.99 for Console
USD $2.99 for Mobile
Website:
aridagame.com
Press / Business:
contact@aocagamelab.games
Social:
instagram.com/aocagamelab
twitter.com/aocagamelab
tiktok.com/@aocagamelab
bsky.app/aocagamelab
threads.com/@aocagamelab
youtube.com/@aocagamelab
facebook.com/aocagamelab
linkedin.com/company/aoca-game-lab
Releases:
ARIDA II: Rise of the Brave
Address:
Alameda Salvador, 1057
Salvador Shopping Business Tower
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Description
ARIDA: Backland's Awakening. A story of survival and adventure in the Brazilian backlands. Face the drought to explore the most arid regions, gather resources and discover clues about the fate of the young Cícera.
History
The drought this time came much stronger and changed daily life here in the backlands. Many plantations were lost, animals died and families abandoned their homes. It is in this scenario that Cícera lives — a curious young girl who uses the advice of her grandfather and other villagers to learn how to survive and strengthen herself to face the drought and realize her greatest dream: exploring the backlands to reunite with her parents.
Cícera
Meet the Protagonist
Cícera is a brave young girl living in the heart of the Brazilian Backlands during the late 19th century. Raised in the harsh and unforgiving landscape of the sertão, she has learned to see beauty in the arid soil, the twisted thorn scrub, and the resilience of those who call this land home.
When drought strikes and her family's survival is threatened, Cícera must venture beyond the familiar paths of her village. Armed with nothing but her wits and determination, she gathers resources, follows animal trails, and searches for water — uncovering, along the way, fragments of a story larger than herself.
She is not a warrior. She is not a chosen one. She is simply a child of the sertão — and that is more than enough.
"The sertão is not a place. It is a way of being in the world."
Features
Equipped to venture out
Use the machete and hoe for essential actions such as getting water, opening paths, or cutting a corn crop.
Get ready with recipes
Learn crafting recipes for typical items of the region. Survival demands wisdom.
Interact to survive
Hunger and thirst are relentless. Ask the elders for help and complete quests to stay alive.
Explore to know
Venture into the aridest regions and search for collectible lost objects to uncover the legends of the backlands.
Behind the scenes of ÁRIDA
Includes “Art of ARIDA” — a digital artbook with behind-the-scenes details of the game's creation.
Game with Impact
Cultural Heritage · Education · Representation
Equipped to Survive:
- Equip yourself with a facão and hoe for vital actions — gathering water, clearing paths, and harvesting crops. Always keep a handful of stones close: a blunt tool is worthless when the sertão demands your best.
- The Caatinga has its own science. Learn crafting recipes using the region's unique fauna and flora — surviving the backlands means knowing how to turn what's around you into exactly what you need.
- Hunger and thirst are merciless in drought. Seek out the village elders, complete their quests, and absorb their ancestral wisdom on finding water and food to stay alive.
- Explore the most arid corners of the backlands to uncover hidden stories — and the resources that will keep you on your feet. A full inventory is always a good sign.
A Story That Matters:
- ARIDA is rooted in the historical context of the War of Canudos — a chapter deliberately erased from Brazil's official history. The game recovers the voices of the people who called the Bahian backlands home.
- The game explores the realities of desertification, forced migration, and drought — struggles that millions in northeastern Brazil still face today, and that have shaped the region's identity for generations.
- An immersive portrait of northeastern Brazilian culture: its landscapes, traditions, and the extraordinary resilience of a people who refuse to be forgotten.
Recognized & Awarded:
- Recognized by Embratur as a cultural product representing Brazil's heritage on the international stage.
- Selected for Google Play Pass, recipient of the ComKids Award, and finalist at Nordic Game Discovery, Courage Cologne, SBGames 2019, and other international festivals.
Supported & Available Worldwide:
- Supported by Fundação Cultural do Estado da Bahia (FazCultura) — the first indie game from Bahia to receive state cultural funding.
- Available on PC (Steam, Epic, Microsoft, Humble, Nuuvem), consoles (Xbox, Nintendo Switch), and mobile (iOS, Android).
Videos
Key Art
GIFs
Free to use in articles, reviews, and social media.
Images
More images available on request — contact us.
Logo & Icon
Awards & Recognition
- 2016 — Fazcultura Cultural Grant (Governo do Estado da Bahia)
- 2016 — Comunidades de Prática Grant (SEBRAE, Brazil)
- 2017 — “Finalist Big Starter” (BIG Festival, Brazil)
- 2018 — “Best Art” (Gamepolitán, Brazil)
- 2018 — Official Selection (SBGames 2018, Brazil)
- 2019 — “Best Game” / “Best Narrative” / “Best Art” nominations (SBGames 2019, Brazil)
- 2019 — “Courage Cologne” selection (A MAZE Cologne, Germany)
- 2019 — “Nordic Discovery” selection (Nordic Game Discovery, Sweden)
- 2019 — “Le Blanc” selection (Le Blanc, France)
- 2019 — ComKids Prize (ComKids Festival, Brazil)
- 2020 — “Black Founders Fund” (Google for Startups Brazil)
- 2021 — “Indie Games Accelerator” (Google Play)
- 2022 — “Indie Games Fund” (Google Play)
- 2023 — “Best of Play Pass” (Google Play)
- 2024 — “Prêmio Brasil Tá Pra Game” (Embratur Lab, Brazil)
- 2024 — “Best Brazilian Game” (Coelho Awards — Nintendo)
- 2024 — “Best Message Game” (Coelho Awards — Nintendo)
Selected Articles
- "The resistance of the creators of ÁRIDA, a game about the life in the Brazilian backlands."
— Henrique Sampaio, Overloadr, Brazil - "ÁRIDA, Canudos and the reframing of the Brazilian backlands in video games."
— Victor Ferreira, The Enemy, Brazil - "Why this former researcher started a game company"
— Patricia Correa, Google Play Blog, USA
Stores
- Steam (PC)
- Microsoft Store (PC)
- Xbox Store (Xbox)
- Nintendo Store (Nintendo)
- Nuuvem (PC)
- Humble Bundle (PC)
- Green Man Gaming (PC)
- Google Play (Android)
- App Store (iOS)
Games
- ARIDA II: Rise of the Brave — in development
Contact
Filipe Pereira
CEO · Lead Game Designer & Producer
filipe@aocagamelab.games
Victor Cardozo
COO · Art Director & Marketing Lead
victor@aocagamelab.games
General contact
contact@aocagamelab.games
Social & Links
Instagram ·
Twitter / X ·
TikTok
Bluesky ·
Threads
YouTube ·
Facebook
LinkedIn
Game site
aridagame.com
Studio site
aocagamelab.games