Tanuki Game Studios and Neon Doctrine have announced a release date for The Library of Babel, their 2D graphic adventure-stealth platformer hybrid. The game will be released on April 7th across PC and consoles, and there's a new trailer to get you hyped for its unique gameplay blend and moody aesthetics, too.
Inspired by a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, The Library of Babel casts you as Ludovik, a futuristic detective who is sent to investigate a murder. A state of emergency is declared in the state of Babylon, and Ludovik is drawn into a web of intrigue and danger that will take him into the darkest reaches of his world. You can check out the Library of Babel release date trailer right here.
Ludovik isn't a fighter, so you'll have to prioritize stealth and speed over direct confrontation. In platforming terms, The Library of Babel is closer to Abe's Odyssey or Heart of Darkness than it is to Super Mario Bros, so don't expect to be leaping huge distances. Instead, you'll be sneaking around the world of Babylon, looking for solutions to puzzles as you hoist yourself onto its many platforms.
As well as the titular short story, Tanuki Game Studio says its game takes inspiration from the classic Vietnam war movie Apocalypse Now, and its gameplay is inspired by 90s point-and-click adventure games as well as platformers. That means you can expect lots of branching dialogue trees containing plenty of info about the world and your case, as well as inventory puzzles to solve with objects you find.
The Library of Babel will launch for PC, PlayStation consoles, Xbox platforms, and Nintendo Switch on April 7th. A closed beta test for the game is also currently underway on PC, and you can sign up for that via Steam if you'd like to test out Tanuki's creation.
