opinion: Revenant Hill has just been revealed and story fan Steffi can”t contain her joy. Because the game inherits one of her all-time favourites.

“I believe in a universe that doesn”t care about anything, and in people who do”. One of many wonderful sentences from the brilliant story adventure Night in the Woods that is forever burned into my brain.

Mae drops out of college and returns home, where she tries to seamlessly pick up where she left off in her carefree youth. But it”s not that easy, as she painfully learns. Night in the Woods is a story about mental problems, disappointed expectations, but also about undying friendships and hope. And pizza.

There was nothing I would have liked more than a game that would take me back to this depressing yet beautiful world – but there were serious problems at the indie development studio Infinite Fall, and silence was kept about a possible sequel.

So I had long since buried my hopes and was content to play through Night in the Woods again every year, occasionally gushing about it with my colleague Géraldine. But last week”s PlayStation showcase changed everything!

To paint you a picture: Sitting in front of the stream late at night with three cats on my lap and a cup of fennel tea. Mainly out of a sense of duty, so I know what we”ll be typing news about tomorrow. And then, suddenly, that unmistakable accordion music (I think it”s an accordion, I don”t know anything about instruments). That starry sky…? That statue – THAT CAT WITH THE RED EYES?!

“Night in the Woooooods!”. My loud cry startles my own kitties, who dart off in all directions – sorry, midgets.

Surprise! This is what”s behind Revenant Hill

I would have rather expected Halo on the PS5 than the sudden Reveal of Revenant Hill, which is probably not a direct sequel or prequel, but a spin-off from Night in the Woods developers and their new team. The distinctive graphic style remains the same, but this time humans make an appearance instead of just anthropomorphic animals.

What”s it all about? We play Twigs the cat, who has really bad luck in 1919: The barn he lives in burns down. And his refuge in an ancient graveyard is ruined by an owl who demands rent from him. But that”s not even his biggest worry: a mysterious evil lurks in the nearby town, woods and hills. Luckily, he meets a friendly witch and other allies.

(The cat arm in this mini game looks exactly like the one from Night in the Woods!)

This description immediately evokes the same comforting, eerie feeling of its indirect predecessor for me. Witches, cats, a bit of creepiness and quite a bit of atmosphere – Revenant Hill has shot straight into my most hotly anticipated story games.

What is known about the gameplay? It will again be an adventure game with lots of dialogues, loosened up by mini-games. These could offer more variety than in Night in the Woods, for example we grow crops, sell them, meet new friends and even master penmanship. When does it start? Unfortunately, that”s still in the constellations.

(Wonder what dangerous plan they”re cooking up?)

A small but dedicated fan community

I realise that Night in the Woods and Revenant Hill will always remain niche games, ridiculed by many. But they have an incredibly loyal and wonderful fan base – even six years after release, over 100 people play Night in the Woods almost every day.

The Reveal of Revenant Hill is getting enthusiastic congratulations from the official Among Us account and Geoff Keighley. Already the comment columns are bubbling with fan theories about timelines and alternate universes.

I love this community. I love games like Revenant Hill. I couldn”t care less if someone rolls their eyes when I gush about my beloved indie stories. Night in the Woods has established its own magical subgenre of adventure games that is just growing up.

Are there any die-hard fans of Night in the Woods in our GlobalESportNews community? If so, I want to hear a loud “Gregg rulz ok!” in the comments! Do you share my wild anticipation for Revenant Hill or Fall of Porcupine? Do you have a similar insider tip in store?

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