When former developers of World of Warcraft, League of Legends, and Baldur’s Gate 3 found their own studio to develop an ambitious RPG, this is what happens. Onibi Studio has just unveiled Tomo: Endless Blue, an open-world role-playing game whose mechanics are reminiscent of Pokémon and Minecraft. And inevitably, the combination of “sandbox” and “monster catching” formulas also invites comparisons with Palworld. But while Pocketpair's title has often been criticized for its similarities to Pokémon, Onibi's debut already boasts an identity all its own.
The sublime animated trailer is accompanied by an original song composed by French harpist Cécile Corbel – world-renowned for her work on Studio Ghibli's Arietty – and performed by Ai Higuchi (Attack on Titan). It captures all the beauty of the world of Tomo: Endless Blue, as well as darker (and even gory, surprisingly) aspects that we'll leave you to discover for yourself. However, it's on the game's Steam page that screenshots and other details offer a more direct look at the upcoming gameplay.
“The possibilities are endless”
To avoid appearing as a pale copy of the franchises it draws inspiration from, Onibi Studio's title focuses on its own mechanics, as well as the lore of its universe. Just reading the synopsis is enough to pique our curiosity:
“When worlds disappear, the fragments of their civilizations become islands adrift in the Endless Blue, a limitless ocean realm inhabited by mysterious creatures known as Tomo. No one knows why the Endless Blue exists, or why it collects the remnants of fallen worlds. But at its heart lie the secrets of the Vagari, an ancient civilization long gone, but whose influence lives on beneath the waves. Their truth is waiting to be discovered. Will you be the one to unlock the secrets they left behind?””
The worlds will be procedurally generated, so that no two islands are alike. The game description also specifies that villages, NPC cultures, quests, and dialogue will also be generated, which raises some questions about the coherence of the universe and the adventure. The construction and crafting mechanics will be accompanied by very special physics: “Blocks have physical properties and can be used to create vehicles and machines. Whether it’s a boat, a crane, or an airship, build your own machines block by block: with your creativity, the possibilities are endless.“
Regarding the small (and large) creatures at the heart of the gameplay, players will be able to count on the Tomos to accompany them in various crafting, farming, and cooking tasks. Tomo: Endless Blue will be playable in online co-op, will offer crossplay, and will be fully moddable on PC. All these great promises are enough to make you dream, but Onibi Studio's game still has no planned release window and has not revealed any platform other than PC. So all that's left is to add the game to our wishlists on Steam and wait...
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