Koira's Creative Director On Balancing Puppy Cuteness With Mystery & Working With Don't Nod
is a unique upcoming narrative adventure that will take players through a dangerous forest with a canine companion. It's the debut release from indie developer Studio Tolima, which has partnered with Don't Nod — the company behind games like the series — to serve as publisher. The musically-driven title blends cuteness and darkness in a hand-drawn art style, showcasing an adorable friendship filled with peril between the protagonist and the adorable in-game puppy.
marks Don't Nod's second foray into pure publishing, following 2022's , and it certainly continues the company's tradition of pursuing games with creative storytelling methods. is a completely wordless title, instead being told entirely through music and animation. Players will assume the role of a magical forest spirit who comes across a dog in the woods, awakening their powers as they help the dog to escape pursuers while forming a heartwarming friendship with the creature.
The Steam Deck puts the power of games into the palm of players' hands, which makes certain stories shine and perfect for any location and occasion.
interviewed Ben Laga, the creative director at Studio Tolima, to discuss the game's inception, the company's partnership with Don't Nod, and what players can expect from.
Screen Rant: First, I'd love to hear a little bit about what it's been like developing a game that has no text in it. Do you find that makes the narrative harder to express or easier?
Ben Lega: Well, it has been quite a challenge with something that was really a design intent from the start. Personally, I really like the games that are able to translate a lot of emotions, with the base tool of the audiovisual things that games and movies can provide. Journey's a big inspiration that comes in mind. Especially in those games, they can have more abstract stories and so often they rely more on just a lot of music and animation to convey the core emotions. With Koira, one of the goals was to really tap into that kind of
Read more on screenrant.com
