The side-scrolling puzzle-platformer Murasaki Baby was released in 2014 exclusively for the PlayStation Vita, and so naturally we didn't give it a whole lot of coverage. But the next project from developer Ovosonico, a "profound interactive adventure" called Last Day of June, is coming to the PC, and it looks like it could be a very memorable experience.
Last Day of June "showcases the beauty of life and love, but also the contradictions of loss," the studio explained in the announcement. It begins with young couple Carl and June embarking on a trip to their favorite spot in a "welcoming, painterly world," but as the day draws to a close their journey quickly takes a turn to horror. In the wake of tragedy, players must solve "emotionally challenging puzzles" and "unlock the sequence of events that could save the day—and June's life."
“With Last Day of June, my vision is to create a riveting emotional experience that connects with the broader audience of human beings,” Ovosonico founder and CEO Massimo Guarini said. “People feel comfortable broadly saying they don’t like videogames without ever really trying them, but never say that about movies or music or art—there’s always something they can identify with. I believe games can be just as universal and relatable, and that’s what we’re attempting to show with this project.”
Murasaki Baby has a not-spectacular 69 aggregate rating on Metacritic, but there does seem to be a consensus on Wikipedia that narrative and presentation were its outstanding features. That bodes well for Last Day of June, which promises a striking visual style but will succeed or fail on the story it tells. I'm really a fan of that sort of narrative-driven experience, so I very much hope it succeeds. Last Day of June is expected to be ready for release later this year.
