(Photo : Dreamlit Games / Screenshot taken from Steam)
An upcoming game by developers Dreamlit, Towers of Aghasba, looks like a Studio Ghibli-inspired open-world sandbox that focuses on village building.
The studio shared a new video that showcased more footage for the game which is still in its early alpha build. The game mixes several features, including exploration, gardening, creature-nurturing, and many more.
Towers of Aghasba
Another noteworthy information about the latest news is that Towers of Aghasba has a release date, Nov. 19, 2024. The game was previously seen at the PlayStation showcase that was held in May 2024.
The premise of Towers of Aghasba is that players will take on the role of a junior architect of the Shimu Tribe. You will embark on a journey to restore the environment that has been devastated by the forces of the Withered, according to Rock Paper Shotgun.
In order to complete your mission, you will have to communicate with local gods, rebuild villages, and plant massive trees to restore the earth. By doing all of these, you will be able to attract a variety of fantasy creatures.
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You can also choose to hunt these creatures so that you can gather their parts that can be used for crafting. Or you can choose to nurture them which has more lasting benefits than simply killing them.
Towers of Aghsaba is developer Dreamlit Games' first title but the studio had previously worked on Hawken, Titanfall, and Call of Duty 2. The original idea for its debut title came in 2009 from inspiration from Minecraft and Shadow of the Colossus, Polygon said.
An Open-World Sandbox Game
On top of the game's various features, it was confirmed that it will support multiplayer and allow up to three friends to join your world. You can all explore, trade, hunt, and battle as a group. Dreamlit Games CEO Khang Le said the biggest inspiration for Towers of Aghasba was Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
This was a Studio Ghibli film that he said felt like a place that he wanted to explore and live in himself. He pointed out the film's various creatures, landscape, and Princess Nausicaa harvesting spores.
Le added that he had a sudden realization after The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out. He noted that Unreal Engine could be just the right engine to use to make Towers of Aghasba focusing on exploration and discovery gameplay.
He then got the inspiration to make the game involve more players after playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Le wanted the title to be a bit more family-friendly instead of a hardcore survival game, according to Games Radar.