Double Fine’s Keeper Is A Surreal Puzzle Adventure Starring A Walking Lighthouse
It has been a while since Tim Schafer did press briefings, he admits. The head of Double Fine, the studio best known for the Psychonauts series, is now explaining Keeper, a new puzzle adventure game where you play as a sentient, walking lighthouse. Now part of Microsoft, the team took the opportunity to use all available resources to, in Schafer’s words, make something weird.
The game certainly fits that description. The colors and atmosphere of Keeper carry at least a touch of Psychonauts DNA. Players control the lighthouse, which has been awakened and is now accompanied by a curious, occasionally aggressive bird named Twig. Interestingly, the lighthouse itself currently has no name.
The game’s concept came from Double Fine’s art director, Lee Petty, who was inspired by his time spent hiking during the COVID-19 pandemic. This inspiration is reflected throughout the game, from the rolling hills the lighthouse roams to the fact that there is not a single word of dialogue. The interactions between the bird and the building, which appear in both cutscenes and gameplay, are reminiscent of Pixar shorts.
The environments feature a drippy surrealist style, and the complete lack of a map, health bar, or any HUD ensures players are not distracted as they explore and solve puzzles.
In early gameplay footage, the lighthouse’s primary form of interaction is its light beam. This beam is used to seek out pathways and objects, and it can also be focused on the many skittering creatures that inhabit the world. Sometimes this causes creatures to flee, while other times they offer up magical orbs, either willingly or unwillingly. These orbs are key to opening up new areas or bringing towering creatures and structures to life. The aesthetic is weird in classic Double Fine fashion, with melted mountain peaks that evoke Salvador Dali.
Players are not forced to attack everything. During different demos, creatures were seen hiding, running, and simply existing in this world where humanity has long since disappeared. The game also briefly features a giant flying whale.
Using the lighthouse’s beam on certain objects leaves behind a twinkling spark that Twig the bird can then interact with. In a later segment, the lighthouse gains the ability to manipulate time, turning its bird companion back into an egg so a building can repair itself and free up a pathway. Twig remains an egg for a while until the lighthouse can fast-forward time again. These abilities appear to be location-dependent rather than a collection of skills built up over the course of the game like in a Metroidvania. At another point, walking into a cloud of pink fluffy mist unlocks the ability to jump and float around levels.
Schafer says themes of life-changing events and metamorphosis will continue throughout Keeper, with the lighthouse and bird duo being central to it all. The dynamic is reminiscent of Banjo-Kazooie and Ico. In one scene, the seemingly sturdy lighthouse loses its footing, and Twig willfully tries to drag its partner to safety, showcasing their bond.
Keeper is scheduled to launch on Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 17th, and it will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.
