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Pokémon are everywhere right now. Turn away from the marketing blitz for Pokopia for a second and you’ll see imitators like Pickmon, a knock-off so shameless it makes Palworld seem restrained, and Aniimo, which combines Pokémon-esque design and gacha mechanics like there was an explosion at the cynicism factory.
The unusual neoran creatures that live in Wonderful Neoran Valley include a pear-shaped little guy called Pero and a cosmic owl called Owrion, as well as a vampire bat who gets drunk off blood called Chugaloo and a Venus flytrap lady called Noctivora. Each has their own personality and will have to be convinced to join your gang via RPG dialogue trees.
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It’s run-based Pokémon but even more JRPG, with a touch of creepypasta horror if the trailer above is anything to go by. That’s a blend of things that are popular right now for sure, though the success of its Kickstarter probably owes more to the fact developer Nara Studio’s creative director is a popular Italian Pokémon streamer called Cydonia.
Wonderful Neoran Valley has raised over $800,000, which is more than seven times its original funding target. It’s unlocked stretch goals including an endless mode, a Switch 2 port, more neoran, additional questlines, and the ability for the studio to go full-time independent without needing a publisher. The Kickstarter is still going too, with 18 days left before it wraps up.
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