Cooking and crafting will take a supernatural turn in the newly announced indie simulation game Yokai Inn, an Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon-inspired simulation game currently in early development by ShibaPixel. Announced at E3 2021's Wholesome Direct showcase, Yokai Inn uses beautiful pixelated graphics to create a mystical fantasy world. With gameplay that appears similar to titles like the massively popular Stardew Valley, it could be a game for simulation fans to keep an eye on.
Yokai Inn takes place in what appears to be a quiet country area after the player is forced to take shelter in a seemingly abandoned inn. The game strays away from the farm inheritance storyline common to popular to slice-of-life games and instead follows a narrative similar to the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away, with the inn coming to life when the sun goes down. Working together with spiritual patrons and inhabitants, the player will help rebuild and run the inn by performing a variety of tasks. The player will also have the chance to befriend different NPCs, engaging in unique interactions with each of the many characters.
According to the footage shown during the E3 2021 Wholesome Direct showcase, players will be able to engage in a number of popular slice-of-life mechanics while playing Yokai Inn, including farming, mining, foraging, and fishing. Items will be stored in a basic inventory, and tools like pickaxes and fishing poles will be used to accomplish different daily chores. It also appears that players will have the ability to interact with and potentially decorate the inn.
Yokai Inn Is In Early Development But Will Have A Steam Page Soon
Currently, Yokai Inn is in the very early stages of development, and it isn't known if it will be PC only, or if it will be available on consoles like the Nintendo Switch. However, the Yokai Inn website states that a Steam page will soon be available for those interested in following the game's development. Gamers can also follow the game's Twitter, where small development posts have been teased over the past few months leading up to E3 2021. These posts include character sheets for different NPCs, images of the hand-drawn locations used in Yokai Inn, and very early gameplay clips.
While it will be a while before Yokai Inn is available in either early access or as a completed game, it will likely be an exciting addition to the pixelated slice-of-life games currently available. Hopefully, the game will continue to release updates showcasing new content, and potentially add more popular mechanics like character customization, building upgrades, and even the ability to travel to different locations within the world. Until then, those interested in playing Yokai Inn will want to check back regularly for any updates or progress made towards a future release date.
Source: Yokai Inn, Twitter/Yokai Inn