Oku lets you live out life as a serene wandering poet who helps talking cats, tea ladies, and disgruntled fishermen

Oku story trailer - PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct - YouTube

I've often dreamed of shutting down my laptop one final time and seeking the quiet, peaceful life of a wandering poet. Unfortunately, my poems aren't good enough to get me room and board anywhere. But, in Oku, I can leave this life behind and live out that fantasy, traversing gorgeous Japanese landscapes while meeting and helping strangers.

You play as a monk who can literally ride the wind, using the clouds as platforms to walk on or skimming across the water gracefully. Meeting a talking cat doesn't seem so farfetched now.

We also see more of the poem-making in action. You'll get to craft haikus based on the environment around you. So, when you encounter the fisherman, you can try to cheer him up by choosing from a list of words you've gathered and making the best verse you can think of. You need to pick the right adjectives and nouns to capture the moment. It reminds me of Chants of Sennar, where you have to figure out which words and symbols work well together so you can eventually learn new languages.

Oku isn't coming until early 2027, so aspiring poet monks will need to have patience. For now, you can wishlist it on Steam.

Check out every game, trailer, and announcement in the PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct.

Issy van der Velde has been writing about video games professionally for five years, contributing to Rolling Stone, NME, GamesRadar+, IGN, and many more. He's been freelance and held editorial roles across news, guides, and features, and is now the deputy editor of the PC Gaming Show.

A lifelong gamer, Issy won the MCV 30 under 30 award for his work covering queer, Arab, and women's representation in the gaming industry.

His favourite games are narrative, story-driven adventures, arcade racers, roguelites, and soulslikes.

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