So many games these days require a lot from the player in either having to defeat a monster or hack and slack their way to victory so it's a nice change when a title arrives that allows the player the freedom to roam and explore at their own leisure in the tranquility of the Japanese countryside - that's exactly what Inasa Fujio’s “The Inaka Project,” has created.Solo indie developer Inasa Fujio who is a 2nd-year Illustration student has crafted a unique first-person narrative game where you travel the rural locations of Japan riding the train, collecting flowers, talking to people and enjoying the scenery as a mail person delivering letters. Little is known about the title as yet due to Fujio still working on it but he reveals that he was inspired by a summer spent at his grandmother’s house in Osaka where he spent time away from the hustle and bustle of city life.“Popular tourist locations are flashy and exciting,” he says. “Those places have an appeal of their own but I just loved walking around residential districts and farms. I then decided to make a game to replicate that experience.”

What we do know is the player can collect items that include various species of flowers which scattered around the map, Interact with objects - Touch various objects in the environment and read the monologue, Talk to the locals - hear about who they are, request advice, and trigger events, ride a motorbike, train, or explore on foot. Fujio is keeping the storyline under wraps for now as he doesn't want to spoil anything just yet, but The Inaka Project looks absolutely stunning and it's quite clear he has taken some inspiration from Studio Ghibli who are best known for their anime feature films like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.

As stated above, the Inaka Project is still pretty early on in its development but you can follow its progress and keep up to date with all of the information on Twitter and Patreon. I truly believe this will be a game to look out for.