Indie Games Take Center Stage at BGS26 — Check Out Our First Impressions of [AFANTASIA]

•0•0Comment iconComment iconComment iconComment icon

We spoke with the co-director of Visions of Mana about his latest project, which is being developed at his new studio alongside a Brazilian creator and developer. In this article, find out what we know about the game so far.

Writer image

Tradotto daEditorial

Modifica articolo

Among the many incredible indie games on show in the indie area at Brasil Game Show 2026, one was a particularly welcome surprise, enough to make BGS worthwhile on its own. [AFANTASIA] immediately caught our team’s eye with its distinctive, beautiful art style.

Unfortunately, the game’s Brazilian creator, NoidNoidNoid, was busy with the crowds at the booth. Instead, we were welcomed and introduced to the game by none other than Kenji Ozawa, founder and CEO of Studio Sasanqua, which is producing and will publish it. His industry credits include co-directing the acclaimed Visions of Mana and serving as animation lead on Rule of Rose, a classic among fans of 2000s psychological horror.

Image content of the Website

The UmGamer team spoke with Kenji, who gave us an incredibly warm and friendly welcome, as well as a member of the team about [AFANTASIA] and the ideas behind it. Here are our first impressions of a game that has already become one of the titles on our Steam wishlists we’re most eager to hear more about—and, eventually, play.

The Premise

[AFANTASIA] is described as a surreal adventure, and from the brief explanation we received and everything we saw, it seems to deliver on that promise. The premise is simple: you wake up with no memory of your past, only one goal in mind: You must leave this place and go to the city.

Image content of the Website

You find yourself in a small town called Tempo, where the surroundings are shaped by both your memories and the power of your imagination. In this game, imagination has a somewhat more literal meaning, expressed through a mechanic we’ll get to shortly. A mysterious voice called Intrusion guides you on your journey.

Image: NoidNoidNoid
Image: NoidNoidNoid

This is a point-and-click adventure. By exploring and clicking through the environments (and, according to the Steam page, searching every corner of the town) you can uncover memories that shaped your life. Eventually, you can even relive other people’s memories to solve puzzles using the power of your imagination. You’re free to explore, discover, imagine, and even decide whether to head for the city or stay in Tempo. You’ll also have to face the consequences of your actions and choices, weighing each one against the kind of person you, the player, want to be.

Image content of the Website

The Steam page describes the game as “A surreal, narrative-driven adventure about memory, imagination, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other”. That suggests some connection (or confusion) between your memories and your imagination. We’ll have to wait and see exactly how that plays out, both in the mechanics and in the story.

The Art

This game is simply gorgeous. Its visuals were the first thing to catch our attention, and it’s easy to see why. It has all the charm of classic point-and-click adventures, with beautiful pixel art that blends different styles into a cohesive whole and makes every frame look like a work of art. According to Kenji, the look combines 2D elements, including the main character and objects such as blades of grass and other scenery, with 3D environments to create something unique. Take a look at these images from the game’s Steam page:

Image content of the Website
Image content of the Website
Image content of the Website
Image content of the Website

The Audio

The music completes the sense of immersion. Every track we heard at BGS and in the trailer on Steam fit its setting perfectly, drawing us further into each scene. Kenji also gave us a teaser: audio will play a bigger role in the finished game than simply setting the mood. That’s another detail we’ll have to wait to learn more about.

Conclusion

The ideal way to play, as it was described to us, is to pick up the game when you’re in the mood for something relaxing yet immersive: a chance to experience a part of a much larger story with many possibilities. That idea, along with everything else we’ve seen and heard, has left us eager to play and to celebrate the work of both a Brazilian indie creator and developer and our newest friend (he told me he loved Brazil!), Kenji Ozawa, whose work we’ve admired for years.

Image content of the Website

If [AFANTASIA] caught your attention, keep an eye on Um Gamer. We’ll soon have a closer look at a build of the game and its press kit! And, of course, add it to your Steam wishlistlink outside website.

Thanks for reading, and see you next time!

Cosa ne pensi di questo articolo?

0%
Voto degli utenti (0)

Condividi questo articolo!

Temi afantasiastudiosasanquakenjiozawa
invia le tue notizie