As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that Finji has truly outdone themselves with Usual June. The studio, known for its indie hits like Night in the Woods and Overland, has once again delivered a unique, captivating narrative wrapped in an aesthetically pleasing package.
Finji, established by Adam and Rebekah Saltsman, has stealthily earned a top-tier status among independent game publishers, particularly since their release of Night in The Woods in 2017. Since then, they have managed the launches of Wilmot’s Warehouse, Chicory: A Colourful Tale, Tunic, and I Was A Teenage Exocolonist. While their last self-developed game, Overland, received a relatively modest reception upon its 2019 release, this was more due to the experimental early access on itch.io than the quality of the game itself. Now, five years later, the team is preparing for what appears to be their most daring project to date.
In partnership with Sweet Baby Inc., Usual June is a game where you follow the character, June, on her summer vacation. Alongside her friends, she accidentally discovers a catastrophic plot threatening the world. Interestingly, June possesses extraordinary abilities, including communicating with spirits of the deceased. However, during the demo we played, it appears that June prefers to conceal this unique talent from her companions, similar to the character Cole in the film “The Sixth Sense.”
At Gamescom, I experienced a demo in which June and one of her companions ventured into an allegedly haunted observatory. However, only June could perceive the friendly ghost residing there. This invisible entity presented an interesting situation, as June had to ask questions aloud to the ghost without making her friend, who couldn’t see spirits, suspicious about her actions.
Initially, the threesome found themselves divided, and June was suddenly transported into a realm teeming with hostile spirits, forcing her into combat. At this juncture, the gameplay shifted towards a more streamlined action sequence, similar to hack-and-slash games. However, it’s important to note that while there is strategic depth in the combats, offering various combo sequences for light and heavy attacks as well as special abilities on cooldown, this game doesn’t offer the intricate layers of a Devil May Cry title.
What makes Usual June stand out is its striking aesthetic. Its color scheme, filled with vibrant purples and deep blues, sets a unique tone for the game. Characters communicate in a jumbled, non-verbal manner similar to Animal Crossing or the adults in Peanuts cartoons, and the main characters animate on every second frame, as seen in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” With its tale of friendship and the afterlife, Usual June exudes a captivating atmosphere to match its story.
As someone eagerly anticipating the game, I simply can’t contain my excitement about exploring the adventures of June in this undisclosed timeframe (roughly 2025). I can hardly wait to follow her journey across both life and the afterlife!
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2024-09-06 18:27