Some video games merely ‘wow’ you from the second you’re permitted to enter their worlds, and in that regard, Project Bloomwalker is a blessing certainly. Revealed for the primary time within the Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Broadcast, Project Bloomwalker is a stupendous survival crafting affair set in a stunning, anime-infused land that has been corrupted – its plants shrivelled, and its floor turned an ashy white. As a ‘Bloom Walker’, you may have the power to remedy the world of this blight, utilizing your travelling caravan, a deceptively spacious home escorted by large robotic legs, housing an equally large speaking cat. It’s quirky, inviting, and continuously magical.
Throughout a hands-on demo at gamescom, we have been invited to discover Bloomwalker’s world, and the way you’ll search to purify it. This actually is the crux of the sport. You’re not crafting to dominate the pure world – you’re there to heal it, and it feels really totally different because of this.
The demo begins together with your character rigorously escorting their home by way of some tainted areas, utilizing its energy to slowly restore the world round it. It’s instantly inviting; the bottom round it is restored as it really works – the terrain explodes into vibrant inexperienced, foliage and huge mushrooms remodel from nasty, sludgy mounds to vibrant, rainbow hues – all the pieces right here feels deliberately positioned and ripe for exploration, which is precisely what you’ll must do.
Whereas nearly all of the world we noticed within the demo was comparatively protected (sans one assault from an enormous pelican), the contaminated areas require some thought to discover, including layers of puzzle to the combo. You’ll must be ready to come across enemies just like the aforementioned pelican, and enterprise into harmful, blighted elements (taking harm as you do) till you may clear it. Fortunately, there are sources just like the Breathblossom that can help you quickly breathe in these spots, however you’ll must work quick. For all of its magnificence, Project Bloomwalker’s world might be treacherous, and it appears you’ll must brace your self for it so as to survive and hold your own home transferring.
The home’s purification energy (or ‘purrification’, in accordance with our cat, Kuroru), received’t final ceaselessly; after a brief amble to the designated spot, we’re invited to settle the home down and begin crafting extra purification crystals. This is the useful resource that means that you can hold purifying, and it may be made out of plenty of objects scattered across the map – berries, apples, honey, and a couple of different particular supplies like luminite.
This is the place Kettlekid is available in, a creature I can solely describe because the sentient, very hungry contents of a cauldron. Throwing your gathered sources into Kettlekid will create purification crystals, used to fill purification gauge so the home can carry on transferring. These crystals are ferried over to your own home by absolutely the spotlight of the demo – Oddlings. These tiny, squeaky balls of pure pleasure are right here that can assist you, however they’ll want a little bit of care to operate successfully.
Luckily, you may have a picket crafting desk (additionally geared up with legs, naturally) at your disposal, which lets you craft little leafy beds and tents on your Oddlings to relaxation in. In a pinch, you too can method Oddlings which are exhausted and give them a hug, which won’t solely restore 50% of their vitality, but additionally remedy a tiny a part of your personal soul, too. It’s really lovely.
Rogue Oddlings will also be came upon within the wild, both stressing out within the open or hid by a small puzzle. When you discovered them, they are often adopted and recruited into your personal Oddling military. Whereas they’re a pleasure to have round anyway, constructing a bigger group additionally expedites some automated crafting actions (like getting crystals from Kettlekid over to the home). There’s a touch of manufacturing facility sim beneath all of the loveliness.
Your personal ambling home is really spectacular; the quaint little cottage, whereas small on the skin, homes a pocket dimension of kinds – a whimsical, celestial-themed bed room stuffed with glowing trinkets and cute decorations. It’s really superb the primary time you understand that it’s larger on the within than the skin, with no loading display or transition. The consideration to design is actually felt right here – I spent a superb jiffy peering into spherical terrariums and zooming into the partitions to soak up each magical element. It’s additionally the place you’ll come to talk to Kuroru about what’s happening, orienting you in your subsequent objective.
Even with simply a short while in Project Bloomwalker, I’m completely entranced by its whimsical panorama and characters, and its poignant premise.