The creators of the PS3 cinematic platformer ‘Rain’ are working on a new moody title that’s unintentionally in tune with recent trends
Drecom is currently developing Tokyo Stories for the PC (Steam) and consoles. Its creators, Yuki Ikeda and Seiichi Terashima, are known for their work on Rain (stylized “rain”) which launched in 2013 for the PS3. Their upcoming title inherits a lot from rain spiritually, but it’s also surprisingly on-trend with its immersive and chill atmosphere. AUTOMATON had the chance to try out Tokyo Stories’ demo and talk to its creators at TGS2024.
rain (also known as “Lost in the Rain” in some regions) is a cinematic puzzle platformer that has players assume the role of an invisible and mute protagonist, exploring empty city streets and hiding from monsters against a constant downpour. With a fixed camera, moody soundtrack and an almost entirely dialogue-free narrative, rain achieved an engrossing film-like quality that drew the best out of its relatively simple gameplay mechanics.
In their upcoming game Tokyo Stories, rain’s developers are combining 3D and pixel art graphics to tell the story of Suzu, a girl looking for her missing best friend. Much like rain, the game features deserted city streets, carefully selected camera angles and understated storytelling. Just navigating the atmospheric 3D map of a deserted Shibuya feels like playing a contemplative walking simulator. Although emotional, the game maintains a tranquil, chill tone that feels like it was designed to scratch the recent itch for “chill games.”
However, Tokyo Stories’ director Ikeda says this wasn’t intended, nor the result of an impressive bout of foresight. Rather, the game’s theme and atmosphere just happened to “match the temperature” of current trends ever since its early stages.
Incidentally, Tokyo Stories was meant to be released back in 2023, but got postponed indefinitely as its creators decided that they wanted to do more with the game. With the extra time, they are working on enhancing the gameplay and expanding the storytelling to feel more interactive, with “ups and downs from start to finish.” Although there is no new launch date set for Tokyo Stories yet, Ikeda is aware that making people wait too long could result in a loss of interest, so the team is working hard to release the game as soon as possible.
Tokyo Stories is currently in development for PC (Steam) and consoles.
