Highlights:
* Studio Ghibli is renowned for its beautiful stories coupled with visually pleasant and nostalgic animation style.
* Hotel Galactic, Europa, and Vivarium are some of the great upcoming video games for Studio Ghibli fans.
Studio Ghibli might be one of the most well-known animation companies that have garnered global recognition from audiences and critics alike. The Japan-based studio, with its founder Hayao Miyazaki at its helm, has successfully delivered some of the most critically acclaimed anime films in the past few decades. Studio Ghibli has also been a recipient of multiple accolades for many of its projects, which includes two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature.
For the uninitiated, Ghibli’s emergence has been a consequence of its visually pleasant animation style. The studio has been known to use traditional hand-drawn animation and combine it with an array of slice-of-life and humane stories driven by social commentary. The nostalgic visuals and classic stories of Studio Ghibli’s anime films have also inspired many life-sim and cozy games. In the following section, readers can find out about five such upcoming games.
Upcoming Must-Play Video Games For Studio Ghibli Fans
As mentioned, many titles have drawn their inspiration from the nostalgic Studio Ghibli films. Some have tried emulating the visual appeal, while others have focused on delivering a carefree plot blended with adventure, life simulation, or any other genre. Many such titles also aim for a future release. Here’s a look at some of the upcoming video games for Studio Ghibli fans:
Hotel Galactic
| Release Date/Window | Yet to be announced |
Ancient Forge is serving as the developer for Hotel Galactic, which draws its inspiration from Studio Ghibli’s classic pictures, especially Spirited Away. It is a base-building cozy simulation where players are tasked with transforming a rundown intergalactic hotel. They can build, design layouts, renovate, craft tools, manage staff, collect resources, make friends, and do a lot more in Hotel Galactic without caring much about anything. The game is ideal for relaxation, where players don’t have to follow any strict in-universe instructions.
Europa
| Release Date/Window | Yet to be announced |
Europa is an action-adventure 3D platform set on the eponymous moon of Jupiter. The game offers a great degree of exploration, as players come across some visually soothing sceneries featuring lakes, meadows, mountains, and a lot more on Europa. At the same time, Europa is a narrative-driven ride where one can uncover various secrets, solve puzzles, fight hidden dangers, and do more, much like a protagonist in a film produced by Studio Ghibli.
Vivarium
| Release Date/Window | Yet to be announced |
Vivarium is yet another indie game on this list, and rightly so. The ‘retro cel-anime’ game has visuals that are reminiscent of classic Japanese animated from the era of ’70s and ’80s. The hand-drawn anime style will impress Studio Ghibli fans, who will also be able to explore the mysterious world within Vivarium while also being able to live the life of the protagonist, Jenny.
Yokai Inn
| Release Date/Window | Yet to be announced |
Yokai Inn’s in-universe concept is quite similar to that of Hotel Galactic, yet both games are poles apart. Unlike Hotel Galactic, Yokai Inn cashes in on the visual style of retro arcade games. The pixelated graphics adds to the appeal of Japanese-inspired life-sim game, which intends to tell a slice-of-life story, like Studio Ghibli movies, taking inspiration from Spirited Away, Whisper of the Heart and Princess Mononoke. The game provides a surprisingly impressive scope of exploration of its isometric perspective.
Golembert
| Release Date/Window | Yet to be announced |
Golembert is a role-playing game about managing & decorating a magical garden, crafting potions, and doing much more. Due to its simpler gameplay and relaxing gameplay, Studio Firlefanz’s cozy farming earns a place on this list. In the game, players assume the role of the gardener Golem Bert, who is devoted to building his magical farm. The hand-drawn visual style works like a cherry on top, while players can also explore the island to uncover more secrets and make friends. The game is inspired by the Ghibli films Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Arriety and Princess Mononoke.
- Also Read: 10 Games That Should Be Made Into Films
Honorable Mentions
Apart from waiting for the release of the titles mentioned above, Ghibli fans can also keep an eye on the following games, which are expected to bring similar gameplay and appeal:
- The Witch’s Bakery
- Spiritwell
- Sally
- Mika and the Witch’s Mountain
That concludes our list of upcoming video games for Studio Ghibli fans, but readers can also check out five horror titles that list to your mic.
