Here’s a little something that’s been on my radar for a long while. Ghost Song is a moody Metroid style game from a two man team and one of the most recent games to clear Steam Greenlight. The duo makes no attempts to hide their influences. Quite the opposite, in fact. Your crashed ship, the convex shoot-to-open doors, even the protagonist’s arm cannon are proud, honest homages to Nintendo’s venerable Metroid series.
But there’s a second source of inspiration – one that’s not so immediately apparent. Dark Souls is rather commonly cited nowadays, but its invocation is ordinarily used to describe how a game plays. Ghost Song instead draws from the sense of brooding intrigue the Souls games fostered.
Loran V is a moon stirred by the spirits of its doomed visitors and stalked by the twisted husks they’ve abandoned. Characters speak in sparse, haunted terms. Their words hint at the traumas that left them so frayed. We may encounter more straightforward exposition elsewhere in the game, but the media released so far depicts interactions that leave you with only scant information and questions. This story will be developed by what you witness.
Expect open exploration, some slick looking combat, and weapon and ability unlocks. But more importantly, expect a wonderfully lonely and atmospheric tone and a world that bleeds ambiance.
Ghost Song will appear on Steam whenever it might be finished. If you’re hungry for more details, check their completed Kickstarter page.
