14 DAY TRIAL // Every Journey Leads Home is a 2.5D puzzle platformer that draws inspiration from iconic titles like Ori and the Blind Forest, Inside, Limbo and Journey, but its story is very unique. Developed by Longterm Games and Enjoy Studio as their first game, this is a space story about self-discovery and the understanding of the world around.
The game promises a deep, emotional plot, as players step into the shoes of dog named Bea who’s been sent into space to explore new planets and interact with alien civilizations. The story is inspired by real events happened during the Space Race, when people tried to conquest the stars by sending a lot of animals in the space. Unfortunately, many of the animals who were paving the way to the stars did not survive the journey except for Laika, or, in this case Bea.
Gameplay in Space Tail: Every Journey Leads Home is based on three mechanics: senses, relations and companions. Bea relies only on her senses such as smell, sight and hearing, which are also the main basics of a mechanic called “detective mode.” The latter helps her reach destinations and protect her from danger. Obviously, while exploring the unknown, she can only rely on her own senses and instinct.
As far as the second mechanic goes, relations, during her journey Bea will meet many extraterrestrials. Some of them will be friendly, others will treat Bea as a danger. Players can interact with the creatures and communicate through a dialog system, based on dog behavior, to create a bond, find some common language and help each other. However, players need to be very careful, because each action will have its consequences.
Finally, the third and last mechanic of the game, companions, is quite easy to explain. While traveling across different worlds Bea will befriend two entities: Comet Rose and the robot 8088Y. They will accompany her through almost the entire game, helping her solve puzzles and rescue her from troubles, and in the end influence the game ending. Each companion has unique abilities, which the player will have to use at the right moment in game.
Space Tail: Every Journey Leads Home is scheduled for release this autumn on PC (via Steam) and Nintendo Switch, with current and last-gen consoles later on.
