Wandersong: a joyful game the world needs.

I think we can all agree the world could use a bit more joy right now. Open a newspaper, Twitter, a cable news channel, or however else you learn about the outside world and you have to brace yourself. What do I need to worry about, be terrified of, or angry at today? None of that, because you’re going to turn it off all that noise and soak in the happy rays of a little game called Wandersong.

Wandersong is an adventure game with an unconventional “hero”. In fact the first scene of the game mocks modern heroic-game convention by having the plucky adventurer square off against a fearsome monster with a sword he can barely lift. After that doesn’t go so well, he reverts to what he knows best, singing his little heart out.

Yes, turns out Wandersong is a game where you can sing at any time! Its bright simple presentation reminds me of the construction paper art I would make as a kindergartener which was also the last time I can remember not being afraid to sing in public. Wandersong reminds me of that innocent time of scissors, elmers glue and the homemade hand-turkey I made my mum for Thanksgiving while singing a tune I didn’t care was on key…and we all need that right now.

Some of you are just waiting for me to tell you what kind of game Wandersong is, and you’re missing the point, but here we go. It’s a 2D side-scroller where the Bard can run and jump with the keyboard or controller buttons, and sing using either the mouse or a controller stick. Throughout the game you’ll encounter many unique characters, creatures and objects who respond to your music in different ways. Your singing will be able to move objects, change the direction of wind, clear fog, summon birds, pacify ghosts, alter the flow of time, or a hundred other things… depending on what you sing to! Sometimes there will be clues in your environment, like a Simon says template, and sometimes just experimenting will make things happen too.

Football games will always be there for you, and you can always chainsaw some space-orcs, but give yourself the gift of joy, whimsy and delight and play Wandersong when it releases on PC and Nintendo Switch on September 27, 2018.