Baldo: The Guardian Owls is an upcoming game from indie developer Naps Team, inspired by Studio Ghibli and The Legend of Zelda. The unique adventure releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC via Steam, and Apple Arcade on August 27. You’ll also be able to play it on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via backwards compatibility, although no native next-gen versions have been announced.
Take a look at the release date announcement trailer below, which shows Baldo’s Ghibli-like animation and art style, and a vast range of gameplay experiences.
Players will take on the role of the titular Baldo, and as things in games are wont to do, this mystical adventure kicks off with an ancient prophecy that sends our hero on his journey. Creator Fabio Capone says that this game is a “puzzle dungeon adventure,” and won’t centrally focus on combat, though that is present throughout. He also teases “there are plenty of other secrets inside.” Hidden temples, a variety of weapons, and quirky characters are just a few of the elements that come together to make Baldo everything it is, heavily inspired by Capone’s love for classic Ghibli films.
That’s great news for fans of Ni no Kuni who have been waiting for another Ghibli-styled game to fill the void.
IGN also got a chance to get an early look at Baldo earlier this month, and you can watch their preview video below, where they say that “Zelda fans will feel right at home.”
Game Informer reports that the road to release has been a long one, with Baldo: The Guardian Owls being in development “in some form or another” over the course of the last 15 years. We’ll finally be able to get our hands on it next month.
Baldo: The Guardian Owls releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC via Steam, and Apple Arcade on August 27.
[Source: Game Informer]
