Has Studio Ghibli just teased a new video game following on from its contributions to Ni no Kuni? That's the impression you might get from first glimpses of Vivarium.
The retro cel-anime game is a cozy adventure RPG set inside a terrarium, and every interaction is hand drawn. Still in development, it has an isometric view, perfect for exploring the mysterious world, while the hand-drawn approach evokes the atmosphere of a classic anime movie (see our roundup of the best game development software and best animation software if you're planning to start work on a project of your own).
Here's a quick run through of the house!We've been building out the entire world with inter-connectivity, short cuts, and loops. Almost like a miniature Souls world, or a Zelda dungeon.I think it makes Vivarium very satisfying to navigate this way. pic.twitter.com/0k8HzGMXXUFebruary 2, 2025
Vivarium is being developed by a New York-based TV animator, who cites Millennium Kitchen's 2000 game Boku no Natsuyasum as an influence along with Heidi Girl of the Alps, Lupin III, Urusei Yatsura, Aim for the Ace, Future Boy Conan, Stop Hibari-Kun, My Neighbor Totoro, and Dr. Slump.
The developer has been sharing progress on the game, with the latest update showing exploration of an in-game house. We're told it has inter-connectivity, short cuts, and loops, "almost like a miniature Souls World or a Zelda dungeon."
Another post (below) shares external scenes in a town during the evening. We're told more locations will be revealed soon.
Wandering around the town in the evening, I think the lighting looks really special here.This demo track that plays in the evening in town -- @TrentGarlipp was messing with something that sounded a bit like Animal Crossing on 64/GameCube. pic.twitter.com/mm1qSAELV7January 20, 2025
You can follow progress at the Vivarium Dev account on X (Twitter). For tools for your own work, see our feature on the best no-code game engines as recommended by indie devs. Also see our guide to the best animation styles.
