On Thursday Viz Media, in partnership with indie game developer Rose City Games, released its first video game title, The World Next Door,
for Mac, PC and Nintendo Switch. Drawing on its vast experience as a
global publisher and distributor of some of the best known titles in
anime, the company has brought a new twist to a well-known genre of
video games.
At its roots, The World Next Door is a
match-3 style offering, but it has been artfully wrapped in a
teen-themed storyline, complete with anime-inspired graphics that will
likely appeal to an audience as youthful as its characters.
JunViz Media
In The World Next Door, players follow the story
of Jun, a teenage girl who dreams of visiting the world of Emrys.
According to the game's lore, Earth and Emrys are two parallel worlds
divided by a single dimension. For one day each year, a portal opens
between them, during which a handful of lucky individuals may travel
between universes. To celebrate the portal opening, the worlds hold a
cross-dimensional celebration called The Festival. In The World Next Door, Jun has been selected to make the journey to Emrys.
While
Earth is a planet governed by humans and technology, Emrys is full of
mystical, magic-wielding creatures. When Jun arrives on Emrys, she
immediately meets up with Liza, a fun-loving and slightly mischievous
Emrysian teenager. The two have been communicating via text ahead of
Jun's arrival. While on Emrys, Liza introduces Jun to a handful of her
friends who decide to give Jun a taste of life in their world. The clan
teaches Jun how to cast magical spells by activating colorful runes in
specific arrangements. As players progress through the game and the
perils of the story unfold, Jun must use the tactics she's learned from
her new friends to battle mysterious enemies known as Grievances.
Throwing fireballs is child's play on Emrys.Viz Media
The spell-casting battles embody the match-3 aspect of the
game and each encounter allows players to unlock a bit more of the
story. While character development is somewhat limited, the narrative is
engaging enough to make you want to stick with it to the end. Players
are given more than one way to respond to various characters, which
allows for a certain amount of replay value through the exploration of
the various dialogue options.
The World Next Door brings match-3 style gameplay to an engaging teen-themed narrative.Viz Media
The game is a decidedly casual offering, but the laid-back
nature of it adds to the charm. It's something players can easily pick
up and put down at will, but each encounter offers the perfect amount of
cheeky dialogue and puzzling challenges to make it enjoyable right up
to the end. The World Next Door is available for $14.99
on a number of platforms, including Switch, Steam (PC/Mac), the Humble
Store, Itch.io and GOG.com. Players can also purchase a premium game and
soundtrack bundle for $19.99 on PC and Mac. What do you think of The World Next Door? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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