"Keeper" by Double Fine: "Weird, but relaxed"
A lighthouse that clambers through a fantasy world on four legs: The idea for "Keeper" came to the head of development while hiking during the corona pandemic.
(Image: Double Fine)
"Keeper" tells the story of a lighthouse that awakens from its slumber, walks through a fantasy world and befriends a bird. The new game from Tim Schafer's studio Double Fine is "quirky but relaxed", as the developers themselves put it.
The best way to describe "Keeper" is as an atmospheric puzzle game, whereby the puzzles are completed rather casually as you pass through the pretty and colorful game world. The main character, the lighthouse, interacts with its surroundings via a beam of light. At least in the demo shown by Double Fine, the puzzle tasks mostly boiled down to illuminating objects with different intensities.
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The dynamic camera is controlled automatically. Instead, you use the right stick or mouse to control the lighthouse beam. You also command the bird companion around the area to interact with levers, dials and items.
Charm over challenge
Double Fine shows a section where a puzzle has to be solved by traveling back in time. A funny twist: the bird cannot be controlled in this section because it turns back into an egg. That's cute, even if the puzzle itself isn't exactly challenging.
"We don't want to present anyone with unsolvable tasks," says James Spafford from Double Fine, explaining the design philosophy. "The game wants you to be able to play it to the end." The focus is therefore not necessarily on the puzzle, but rather on the atmosphere.
The demo looks great. The lighthouse sticks nicely animated through varied, colorful fantasy panoramas. Double Fine is aiming for a moderate playing time of six to eight hours so that "Keeper" doesn't wear out and the playful details lose their charm. The game's story is told wordlessly.
Inspired by hikes and Ghibli films
The idea for "Keeper" came to lead developer Lee Petty during the coronavirus pandemic, when he spent a lot of time hiking alone through nature. His other inspirations include surreal paintings such as those by Salvador Dali and films by Studio Ghibli – an idiosyncratic and promising cocktail of influences.
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"Keeper" is the first game from Double Fine to be created entirely under the auspices of Microsoft. The tech giant bought the studio from Tim Schafer ("Day of the Tentacle") in 2019. Without this acquisition, "Keeper" would probably not have existed: According to Spafford, the game was primarily developed for Microsoft's game subscription. The Game Pass has also allowed Double Fine to experiment with games that are not necessarily suitable for the masses or have top-selling potential.
Meanwhile, PS5 players and Nintendo fans will miss out: "Keeper" will be released exclusively for PC and Xbox Series X/S on October 17.
(dahe)
