The Possibility of an Island

January 26, 2015 9:35 PM

There's a multi-media project encompassing several games and an animated film. I have no idea what it was called now. Please help! And also recommend similar things!

The big game was an adventure; the smaller game was a platformer. Both were beautifully 2D, for PC. They're all set on a strange island with a rich and whimsical fantastic mythology, and a colorful, odd aesthetic that brings to mind Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari, Legend of Mana, Love-de-Lic and Amanita Design games, Serendipity, Ghibli films and other gentle, highly creative fantasies. It looked really good.

For the sake of potentially broadening this a little bit, please recommend any other games that feel like they might be similar, i.e. things that emphasize atmosphere, setting, aesthetics, beauty, emotion, characters and relationships over numbers or mechanical interactivity. Bonus points for gorgeous 2D artwork, but 3D games with a strong aesthetic or emotional resonance are welcome too.

posted by byanyothername to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Oh, I should probably clarify: this was still in development as of two (ish) years ago, with only an in-progress demo for the platformer actually released. Just to lock down the time period here; but go wild with the recommendations.
posted by byanyothername at 9:43 PM on January 26, 2015

Myst and Riven?
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:19 PM on January 26, 2015

For the sake of potentially broadening this a little bit, please recommend any other games that feel like they might be similar, i.e. things that emphasize atmosphere, setting, aesthetics, beauty, emotion, characters and relationships over numbers or mechanical interactivity.

You want Knytt Underground.
posted by Quilford at 2:42 AM on January 27, 2015

You might like some of Amanita's games.
posted by O9scar at 6:05 AM on January 27, 2015

Can't help with the primary question, but possible similars: the team behind Myst and Riven are working on Obduction (available "late 2015"), and a "remastered" Grim Fandango is being released today(!)
posted by achrise at 8:16 AM on January 27, 2015

Found it! Thanks to Knytt Underground's Nifflas, who worked on one of these. The project is called Shrug Worlds or Shrug Island, and looks even more beautiful than I remembered. It is apparently Greenlit on Steam and appears to be significantly more developed than it was when it showed up on my radar.

Here's some other stuff I found in my deep Google flailing that feels like it might fit with the aesthetic/conceptual theme here:

Beyond Eyes (homepage, but it's being weird): an exploration game where a blind girl reveals the world through touch, scent and sound

Shu (RPS preview): Shu features vibrant, hand drawn 2D characters in a colourful 3D world of towering stone, rushing rivers and long forgotten monoliths. On your journey to the peak you will encounter a unique cast of villagers who, in their flight from the storm, have become stuck, trapped or separated from one another. Will you leave them to their fate? Or will you stop to save them, making the journey more challenging, and giving the ever moving maelstrom a chance to close the gap? Run or rescue; it’s up to you.

Morphopolis (home): a game about transformation and discovery. Inspired by Machinarium and The Tiny Bang Story, Morphopolis takes the player through a lucid and fantastical insect world in a puzzle adventure.

Daina: The Herbarium: Explore an overgrown island full of secrets, plant lush gardens and meet strange creatures - but beware the ever-changing weather and the dangerous wildlife.

Thanks for the recommendations! Obduction looks lovely and I am happy today is the day Grim Fandango is playable again.
posted by byanyothername at 9:41 AM on January 27, 2015