Square Enix has revealed the opening animation for Balan Wonderworld, and the graphics are on a stunning new level. Balan Wonderworld is an upcoming action-platformer that's set to release on current and next-gen consoles, as well as PC, on March 26th, 2021. It features the work of legendary Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka.
The next generation of video game consoles is set to hit the market next month. The entire video game industry is waiting with bated breath to see how well the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S will deliver on their bold claims of graphical quality and overall performance. A recent trailer for Sackboy: A Big Adventure, a PlayStation exclusive, demonstrated how well the PS5 will handle graphics with a startling level of realism and detail, right down to the miniscule frayed threads on Sackboy's knitted form. Certainly, with a brand new console generation like this, the standard is set very high.
Now Balan Wonderworld is raising that standard even higher. The upcoming game's opening movie was posted to YouTube by Square Enix, and it's a marvel to see. The hair and clothing of player characters Emma and Leo are both rich with detail and realism; while the characters themselves are exceptionally cartoonish, the details of everything around them, and even their own eyelashes, are richly rendered. It almost looks like something out of a Pixar movie. The movie itself sets the stage for the game quite nicely, too. It shows both characters being led to the mysterious Balan Wonderworld theatre by some adorably puffy bird creatures. Once there, they're brought face to face with the titular Balan, who treats them to a vibrant, whimsical dance number before whisking them off to Wonderworld to "find their hearts." The animation shines gloriously throughout.
Balan Wonderworld is an intriguing next-gen title for a number of reasons. The legendary talent behind it is already ample reason for players to get excited, and this gorgeous opening cutscene is a big selling point as well, provided the rest of the game looks at all like it. The game's concept of delving into a world of imagination to fix a broken heart is also a very interesting premise, that could lead to some genuinely dark themes mixed in with the wonder and spectacle. Persona 5 executed a similar premise marvelously in the last generation, and while a 100+ hour long JRPG will certainly take a different approach to storytelling than a 3d platformer, there could definitely be some overlap in themes.
There are a lot of exciting games to look forward to as the new console generation looms ever closer. Developers have been putting a lot of work into making the new generation one to remember, and that's clearly already paying off. If the opening cutscene is any indication, then Balan Wonderworld is just one of the many new games fans can look forward to in the future of video gaming.
Source: Square Enix