Musical JRPG Platformer Viola Brings A World Of Whimsy To Steam In July

Published: June 19, 2019 11:30 AM /

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viola

In these troubled times, we could all use an injection of whimsy. That's where musical JRPG platformer Viola comes in. The solo-developed game is coming to Steam via Early Access this July.

Developer Jelle Van Doorne describes Viola as a story "about learning to love yourself". You'll take control of the titular Viola, who becomes trapped in a fantasy world contained within a magical violin. Viola will make friends, battle enemies, and attempt to solve the mystery of her environment over the course of the game. Along the way, there will be a healthy dose of platforming exploration peppered with JRPG-style turn-based battles. Check out the trailer for Viola below (complete with appropriately string-heavy music):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nDUvPdZf7o

Viola is a hybrid of JRPG and platformer that's somewhat spiritually akin to Ubisoft's Child of Light. Van Doorne describes the game as a "love letter to classic JRPGs and indie games", and the entire game - excluding the soundtrack - is his work. Battles will require players to time their button presses correctly a la Paper Mario, with spells needing more complex and lengthy input sequences. There'll be over 10 playable characters to join your party, so if you've been hankering for a good old-fashioned JRPG, this should fit the bill.

It's also a pretty enticing prospect for classic platforming fans. Van Doorne's game will feature plenty of old-school platforming maneuvers like wall jumps, double and triple jumps, and cannon traversal. Exploration will be rewarded with gems and potions to augment characters' stats, along with plenty of other little secrets. The game's secret weapon is a whimsical music system which sees each character playing their own instrument. Different songs and combinations will unlock new secrets and passageways in the world. It all looks like a rather sweet combination, so I'll be watching this one with interest.

You'll be able to play Viola when it launches for Steam Early Access this July. No word on a console release yet. Stay tuned (get it?).

Are you thinking of checking out Viola? Let us know in the comments below!

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