After launching What Remains of Edith Finch in 2017, Giant Sparrow has finally revealed its next game. Codenamed “Heron” on the developer’s site and currently in early development, it’s about “exploring the wonders and horrors of biology.” Players control a field biologist who deals with “mundane and fantastical urban wildlife.”
Inspirations include Ico, Windosill, Spirited Away, and the nature documentaries of David Attenborough. Speaking to The New York Times, creative director and studio founder Ian Dallas confirmed that the project offers a collection of short stories.
The addition of fantasy creatures has led to some intriguing developments. “When we started adding a few slightly goofy elements, that led us to some stranger and more interesting places,” said Dallas. The overall goal is to “call out just how weird biology is.” The result is a game where “animals feel gross.”
As such, the tone will be dark, like What Remains of Edith Finch, and outline how some of nature’s processes, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, can be truly horrifying. “Hopefully, this game is going to be one of the stranger games that people have experienced. I’m doing everything I can to make it that way.”
Heron doesn’t have a release date or platforms, with the studio promising an announcement on its Twitter when prepared to show more. Stay tuned for updates in the future.
