Steam Cozy New Adventure Blends Two Of Studio Ghibli’s Best Films Together

If you’re a fan of the animated works of Studio Ghibli and Into The Wind isn’t yet on your wishlist, you’re going to want to change that.

Developed by Bloom & Gloom Games and set to be published by Three Friends, Into The Wind is an upcoming adventure game inspired by the works of the aforementioned Japanese studio.

Into The Wind combines Porco Rosso-inspired aviation with Kiki’s Delivery Service-esque tasks in a cosy gaming experience that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

“Drive, fly, and run deliveries together with your sentient motorcycle-plane, Ermes,” begins the synopsis.

“Make friends, battle rowdy air pirates, upgrade your bike, decorate your home, explore the islands of Santa Rosa, and solve the mystery of your uncle's disappearance.

“It's time to build a new life, far away from the mainland, out here among the aviation crazy, freedom-loving islanders and sky pirates!”

Ermes, your flying motorcycle, has been crafted to be both “easy to pick up and deep in skill progression”.

“We've spent a lot of time tuning Ermes to feel both physical and arcadey. Cargo has weight, and fuel matters. Roads, shortcuts, weather, wind, and bad landings are all part of the journey,” devs note.

Three Friends

While Into The Wind is, on the whole, a low-stakes title, it certainly sounds as if there’s quite a lot to keep in mind in terms of gameplay.

You’ll deliver items both via land and air across a sprawling island. Some will need handling with care, whilst others may be extra heavy and will affect how you can travel.

The more jobs you do, the more money you’ll earn and, perhaps obviously, difficult jobs will earn you more money than easy ones.

Once you get enough money, you can upgrade Ermes, allowing you to up the level of challenge even further as you take on the trickiest jobs the game has to offer.

You can customise Ermes plus your very own humble abode. You won’t just control a single character within Into The Wind.

You’ll work with a team, and surely that team deserves a nicely decorated base as a thank you for all of their hard work?

Decorating isn’t totally straightforward. You’ll have to collect items and deliver them back to your home.

Interestingly, what you decorate your base with can unlock bonuses for your crew, which help you progress in Into The Wind.

Steam is home to plenty of video game alternatives inspired by Studio Ghibli:

• Steam Cozy Free Sample Is A 10/10 Ode To Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service
• Studio Ghibli Inspired RPG Is Free To Play On Steam, Don’t Miss Out

There’s also a story running throughout the title. The central character’s uncle has gone missing from Santa Rosa while investigating a mysterious cloud in the sky.

The hope is that while delivering items, you may be able to gather intel to find out what happened to poor uncle Umberto.

Santa Rosa is based in the Adriatic sea so you should expect gorgeous beaches and sun-soaked vistas as far as the eyes can see.

Into The Wind’s Team Has Opened Up About The Major Influence Of Porco Rosso

Unfortunately, Into The Wind is yet to pin down a launch date, but we do know that it’s coming to Steam in early access.

“It’s no secret that we are fans of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Especially Porco Rosso struck me deeply, and I wanted to make a game about flying among freedom-loving idiots in a romantic setting in the Adriatic sea,” said Bloom & Gloom Games co-founder Robin Hjelte.

“Into the Wind is our love letter to all that, and more that has been truly meaningful to us: anime, games, movies, summer evenings in the setting sun. It’s a game about momentum, flight, and great game feel, but also about just immersing yourself in the small moments of this world and its stories. We can’t wait for you to take to the skies of Santa Rosa!”

Into The Wind is available to wishlist now.

READ MORE: Studio Ghibli Inspired Game Confirms July Steam Launch, One To Watch