Solving Mysteries with Art and Heart in Hope in the City
Lofty Sky just gave us a really nice first look at the gameplay for their upcoming mystery adventure Hope in the City. They first unveiled it at Gamescom during the FGS Live event in Cologne, which follows on from the hype that it generated on its initial reveal earlier this summer at Summer Game Fest.
You're 17-year-old Hope Song, and you come home from school to find that your parents have left. What makes this game different from others is that your decisions build the story in a non-linear way, so your investigation can branch off in all directions depending on how you piece together the clues.
One of the things I love most about this game trailer is Hope's sketchbook. She is an artist, and the sketchbook is not just a journal—this is your main tool for solving the mystery. You take ideas and clues and compile them in the sketchbook to unlock new places, conversation, and insights. It is a fresh and creative approach to a detective story.
And the game is packed with beautiful, stylized cutscenes crafted by Lofty Sky's award-winning animation department—the same one that produced Canada's official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film in 2023. These animated sequences really add to the atmosphere and the story.
If that's your thing, you can wishlist Hope in the City on Steam today. And if you'd like to be kept up to date with the latest news, check out Lofty Sky's website or follow them on X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.. You can also join their Discord community and get special updates as well as chatting with fellow fans there.
If you like mysteries with a twist and a strong good story, this one's worth keeping an eye on.
About Lofty Sky Entertainment
Lofty Sky Entertainment is an independent media company that creates engaging stories and experiences across different digital mediums from games, film and TV, and virtual reality. Established in 2017, the Toronto-based team has garnered significant critical acclaim, including the 2018 Canadian Screen Award-nominated narrative game Shuyan Saga, the 2023 GDC Pitch-winning sci-fantasy adventure RPG Sky of Tides and the feature film Eternal Spring, which became the first animated film selected as Canada’s official submission to the Oscars® for best international feature in 2023.
Hope in the City is being produced by Lofty Sky Entertainment with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the support of Ontario Creates.