PAX East 2023 Spotlight: Inspired-By-Zelda Shumi Come Home Is a Must-Play Game

Today I had the privilege of stopping by the PAX EAST 2023 booth for Mooneye Studios, where I played the demo of Shumi Come Home, a game heavily inspired by Zelda games like The Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild. I also had the opportunity to interview the game’s creator and developer, Noah Lone, who is known as “SomeHumbleOnion” within the industry.

Shumi Come Home is set in a post-human world in which players control a humanoid mushroom named Shumi who is lost in the woods. The cel-shaded art style, says Noah Lone, was heavily inspired by The Wind Waker, which he played when he was growing up. Lone says he fell in love with that art style and knew he wanted to create a game in the same fashion.

In terms of gameplay experience, Lone said he wanted to capture the feeling he had as a kid playing Pikmin. “It was this alien world that you could explore and feel like you were somewhere else despite the human elements.” Shumi Come Home is a 3D platformer that is at times organized by levels, while other segments of the game allow the player to explore an open world. Lone noted that the feeling he got playing Breath of the Wild also impacted his development of the game. In this sense, it feels like more of an exploration / adventure game, which also has a number of fun puzzles as players collect crystals to advance the story and develop their character.

The movement and gameplay feel incredibly smooth, and I found myself quickly immersed. Shumi has the ability to glide from high ledges using a leaf, and I immediately smiled as I tried it. As Lone confirmed, Wind Waker‘s Deku Leaf provided inspiration.

The game takes approximately two hours to complete. Lone said he wants players to have a relaxed, carefree experience as they traverse the world. Lots of optional content exists in the game as well, particularly education about mycology (the study of mushrooms), which Lone says is a personal passion.

Shumi Come Home releases in early summer on Steam and Switch.

Tell us what you think! Will you be playing Shumi Come Home when it releases later this year? Share your reactions in the comment below!

Source: Mooneye Studios, SomeHumbleOnion

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Sorted Under: Breath of the Wild, Games, Inspired By Zelda, Original Content, Slider, The Legend of Zelda, The Wind Waker, Zelda Like
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