As a cat-lover – my housemates have a complete of 4, and they’re principally my godchildren – I’ll gravitate in the direction of any recreation that has a cat entrance and middle. Because the devs behind Princess of the Water Lilies inform me, this 2D puzzle-platformer’s gray kitty relies on the creator’s personal pet, although I assume the true life cat may be very completely different.
In spite of everything, the sport has you enjoying a cat raised by a household of frogs as she explores a magical world. She’s been given a magical collar that enables her to make use of particular powers via her purrs, which is simply too cute for phrases. Princess of the Water Lilies has loads of completely different biomes and has you manipulating the atmosphere with these powers, making vegetation bloom and pathways emerge.
Within the demo I performed at Tokyo Sport Present, one puzzle had me swinging on vines to entry a better platform so I might choose up a chunk of fruit to convey again to my froggy household. One other had me bouncing on mushrooms like they have been trampolines, choosing them up with my enamel and transferring them across the stage so I might attain beforehand inaccessible locations.
Princess of the Water Lilies feels distinctly targeted on the pure world. I don’t understand how a lot of the ultimate recreation will happen in nature, however the demo I performed showcased a deep consideration to its environments. The hand-drawn backgrounds have been ethereally lit, with swimming pools of daylight and beautiful reflections on the floor of the lake. It appeared virtually Ghibli-like. It made me wish to get out and contact some grass myself.
A dev advised me that our cat protagonist will unlock extra skills as the sport goes on, and that every stage will even have boss battles on the finish of every chapter. My demo didn’t go fairly that far, however I’m curious to see how the platforming will meld with what I assume shall be fight – so far as I can inform, the cat can’t really battle, so possibly these bosses shall be taken down via platforming as effectively.
There isn’t any dialogue or voice performing on this recreation, simply mild feline purring and a nice orchestral soundtrack. The dev advised me this was as a result of the studio wished this recreation to have common attraction, and telling the sport’s story via emojis and icons would make it extra accessible to gamers no matter language. I didn’t get to see a lot of this storytelling, however I used to be knowledgeable that Princess of the Water Lilies is story-driven, so I’m trying ahead to seeing the way it pulls that off.
Princess of the Water Lilies continues to be in early days, as evidenced from its shaky digital camera and considerably finicky platforming controls, nevertheless it has potential, particularly as a kid-friendly introduction to the style. You’ll be able to wishlist it on Steam right here forward of its projected 2025 launch.
Princess of the Water Lilies is a 2D puzzle-platformer the place gamers step into the paws of an adventurous cat, exploring a world stuffed with secrets and techniques and magic. Raised by a household of frogs in a tranquil pond, she is presented a magical collar that turns into the important thing to unlocking her distinctive powers. By purring, the collar releases magical vitality that transforms the atmosphere—inflicting vegetation to bloom, bridges to develop, and pathways to emerge—permitting her to resolve puzzles and traverse the mysterious world round her.
Dynamic Puzzle-Fixing and Platforming: Use the cat’s magical collar to control the world, fixing puzzles that vary from environmental interactions to advanced multi-stage challenges. Discover lush, hand-drawn biomes, every stuffed with obstacles, hidden pathways, and secrets and techniques to uncover.
Distinctive Powers and Development: As gamers progress, the magical collar unlocks new skills that not solely help in puzzle-solving but in addition improve the platforming expertise, introducing mechanics like vine swinging, water traversal, and extra.
Boss Fights and Chapter-Based mostly Exploration: Encounter thrilling boss battles on the finish of every chapter, the place technique and mastery of your skills are important to beat the various foes.
Minimalist Storytelling for Common Attraction: That includes minimal textual content, the story is conveyed via superbly illustrated emojis and common icons, making certain accessibility to gamers throughout all languages.
Charming Visuals and Dwell Orchestral Rating: Each second is dropped at life via vibrant hand-drawn animations and an immersive orchestral soundtrack, offering a charming expertise that feels each nostalgic and recent.
Impressed by Basic Japanese Anime: With a visible fashion paying homage to the golden age of animated classics, the sport presents a heartwarming narrative that blends whimsical creatures, magical settings, and timeless journey.
Whether or not you are fixing intricate puzzles or navigating the picturesque landscapes, Princess of the Water Lilies presents a magical journey that can attraction gamers of all ages.
