Zelda, Studio Ghibli Collide In Beautiful New RPG You Can Play Free Now

Combining the stunning visuals and head-scratching puzzles of The Legend of Zelda franchise with the colors and art style you could only expect from a Studio Ghibli movie, this upcoming Steam release is now free to try out ahead of its full launch.

The game in question is titled Kloa - Child of the Forest, an action-adventure tale filled with fast-paced combat, puzzles, and the beauty of nature. Developed by Wildpad Games, players will be tasked with restoring a once lush forest to its original state after it falls victim to a mysterious curse.

The forest is dying. The Ikari curse responsible for this travesty is as mysterious as it is dangerous, and it means to consume everything. As the curse taints the land, it has also been shown to corrupt animals and twist them into mindless monsters with a burning hatred.

In Kloa - Child of the Forest, you will take on the role of none other than Kloa, a human child who is the only hope of restoring both the forest and its inhabitants to their natural state. By journeying across a series of natural biomes, you will uncover all sorts of secrets as you stumble across new environments, friendly animals, and natural environments in this homage to classic top-down games.

Featuring a stunning pixel-art style, Child of the Forest will also test your puzzle-solving skills, but when you are not using your brain, you will have to use your skills in combat as you choose between a katana or a bow. Luckily, thanks to Kloa's special "soul bow", you will be able to perform melee combos, guard and deflect projectiles, dash to avoid enemy attacks, and pierce your foes.

Luckily, by exchanging Tanuki Leaves, you will be able to level-up and upgrade your skills as you unravel a compelling and emotional story paired with an orchestral soundtrack inspired by traditional Japanese music.

As mentioned, Kloa - Child of the Forest does not yet have a full release date, but we do know that it is set to launch later this year. However, if you cannot wait that long, the stunning pixel-art game is now free to check out courtesy of a free Steam download. Including two biomes, full access to Kloa's combat system, melee and ranged combat, environmental puzzles, and a handful of boss encounters, this demo is the perfect way to get a feel for the game, see if you like it, and most of all, provide feedback to its developers ahead of the full launch of Kloa - Child of the Forest.