Studio Ghibli-inspired Vivarium has the coziest game animation I've seen

Images from animated video game Vivarium
(Image credit: Vivarium Dev via X)

Has Studio Ghibli just teased a new video game following on from its contributions to Ni no Kuni? That's the impression you might get from first glimpses of Vivarium.

The retro cel-anime game is a cozy adventure RPG set inside a terrarium, and every interaction is hand drawn. Still in development, it has an isometric view, perfect for exploring the mysterious world, while the hand-drawn approach evokes the atmosphere of a classic anime movie (see our roundup of the best game development software and best animation software if you're planning to start work on a project of your own - there's also our best free animation software that includes the Ghibli co-developed OpenToonz).

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Joe Foley

Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.