Three years after the release and success of their hit title Furi, developer The Game Bakers is looking to follow up that success with their newest title, Haven. First announced back in February, this adventure RPG title is looking to be as different and unique as their other offerings are.
The initial announcement for Haven left much to be desired, as it only came with a teaser and some screenshots showing off a very colorful environment that reminds me a lot of those very challenging neon stages in Furi. Thankfully, The Game Bakers have deemed that it’s finally time to show off some gameplay as they released a new trailer for Haven. Check it out below to see the footage showcasing more of that strange-looking planet and some of the game’s mechanics.
Looking over at the press release, The Game Bakers described Haven as a “very accessible RPG,” which is quite the departure from Furi. I can attest Furi as one of the hardest games I’ve ever played. It also takes a turn for the protagonist, as in Haven you get not one, but two of them – and they’re lovers stranded in a very strange world.
Truthfully, I haven’t played many games where the romantic relationship of two characters is the highlight, and it seems that The Game Bakers thought the same. According to the game’s creative director, Emeric Thoa, the goal for Haven is, “to make a game that you have never experienced before. The story of a couple fighting for their freedom, an established relationship: what love looks like when you’ve moved past the early seduction phase, when you can be your true self with one another… I don’t think that’s been done much in video games.”
The mechanics shown in the gameplay trailer were quite different too. There seems to be some turn-based combat system in place, but there’s prompts for two characters that deal more damage when used in strict coordination. The trailer was also accompanied by an amazing electronic soundtrack. The soundtrack was one of my personal highlights and Furi, and it seems like the developers took it up a notch this time.
But of course, seeing as it’s a game based on a couple, the only real question is if it’s played in single- or multiplayer. In another strange decision, it seems that Haven, according to the developers, is a solo game at its core. However, a second player can drop in at any moment to play with you locally. Now this one I have to see more of.
Haven will be released in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Switch and PC.
