It was an average day for me until I stumbled upon Steam Next Fest's presentation of Europa, a stunning adventure game that feels like diving headfirst into my personal Studio Ghibli film. It was the whimsical equivalent of discovering a magical wardrobe leading into a lush, terraformed wonderland, where Zelda-like gameplay seems the norm.
You play Europa as Zee, a little character that rambles across the paradise of greeneries and hills adorned with vibrant flowers. The panorama is uncannily akin to Ghibli's Castle in the Sky or Howl's Moving Castle – a mesmerizing sight indeed. Exploring here is not about chasing victories; it's about drowning in the scenic beauty and interacting with magical beings that share the land.
Europa may remind you of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but patches of it bear traces of The Last Guardian - minus the giant lovable bird-dog. The gameplay sequences thrust you upon vast expanses where you get to frolic, glide, or slide through rows of ruins underneath a host of floating islands that seem to have no end in sight.
If you, like me, need an escape from the typical hack and slash, Europa is a tranquil oasis. It's one of those laid-back games you can lounge with while taking a breather from more intense quests like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Steam Next Fest packs in a delightful demo of Europa until October 16th, 2023. But if time plays a spoilsport and you can't experience it now, sweat not! Simply wishlist the game, tap the 'follow' button on Twitter for its developers, and you can keep pace with Europa's exciting journey until its grand release next year.
But don't just take my word for it; others have been captivated by Europa's indie magic too. In fact, some dare say it is what Tears of the Kingdom might feel when catapulted into an eternity of solitude.
For gamers looking for a beautifully visualized escapade that submerges you into a world of wonder without the typical conundrums of relentless strategy or action, Europa emerges as a lovable prospect that's tonnes of beauty and thrill at once. It's not every day you stumble into a Studio Ghibli wonderland with some Zelda thrill thrown in the mix, after all!
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