Italian development studio NAPS Team has today teased its next project via IGN. Called Baldo, the upcoming puzzle-adventure game is likely to prove a welcome sight for fans of Zelda, with familiar-looking gameplay mechanics and a charming aesthetic.
There are little details to go on beyond the below trailer, which showcases a brief glimpse at the puzzle mechanics, art style, and a few clues about its story.
We get to see the game’s hero pushing a rotating gear, pulling a bridge into place, while another gear lowers the water level of an entire “dungeon”, or whatever it might be called. It’s all very Zelda-like.
Oddly enough, there isn’t much combat to be seen – only one face-to-face encounter. The boy balances on a wooden beam, charging up to a wolf-like monster and batting away with a sword.
The closing shot gives us a glimpse of a massive Ent-like monster, storming towards the cliff the boy is perched on. It’s both intriguing and intimidating – could this be the game’s final enemy?
Check the trailer out for yourself below:
From first impressions, Baldo looks like a wonderful treat for Zelda fans. It has a gorgeous art-direction, driving European folk soundtrack, and from the looks of it, a good sense of puzzle design.
Of course, all this still begs the question “Why is it called Baldo?” Perhaps it’s because “Baldo” is the Italian word for “Bold”, or maybe it’s the name of the young boy in the trailer. We’ll have to wait and see.
Baldo doesn’t have a set release date, but NAPS Team confirmed that it will be releasing on Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
For more updates directly from the developer, you can find NAPS Team’s website here, and the official Twitter for Baldo here.
