The IndieBeat: Way to the Woods shows nature thriving in a Studio Ghibli-esque postapocalypse

Way to the Woods is a gorgeous exploration game starring two deer in a postapocalyptic landscape. Melbourne-based developer Studio Happy Bee — which is actually just Anthony Tan — has worked on it since 2015, and the game is slated for a PC launch in 2019 with console releases hopefully to come.

As inspiration for Way to the Woods’ beautifully desolate world, Tan looked to works like Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, and Steven Universe. The result is visually stunning and atmospheric. In the trailer, the two deer seem to have a kind of lonely but peaceful existence. As they embark on a journey back to the forest, they encounter adorable creatures like gangs of raccoons and self-governing cats. But they also don’t go unchallenged — they’ll have to solve puzzles and face a perilous black goo that corrupts whatever it touches.