New Steam Game is Basically Kiki’s Delivery Service in Video Game Form
A new cozy adventure game blends Studio Ghibli-inspired charm with emotional storytelling, inviting players to run a magical bakery in Paris while helping customers confront personal regrets.
In The Witch’s Bakery, players step into the role of Lunne, a heart witch who opens a magical bakery in Paris with her cat-like companion Orio. The game emphasizes a relaxing routine of baking enchanted pastries, managing customer requests, and navigating the quirks of food service. Each day follows a predictable yet soothing rhythm, blending shopkeeping with light exploration of the city’s 2D side-scrolling streets.
The game’s emotional core emerges when Lunne interacts with customers burdened by visible regrets, represented as floating creatures. Serving these customers involves diving into their hearts to remove the regrets through mini-mazes filled with thematic obstacles, such as waves of sadness or walls of anger. These sequences introduce variety to the gameplay while exploring themes of healing and emotional growth.
A standout narrative follows Estelle, an accountant whose overwhelming regret leads Lunne into her Heart Palace—a sprawling underwater ruin filled with puzzles and challenges. The puzzles involve arranging cubes to connect points, offering a mix of light difficulty and creative problem-solving. The Torment, a lurking monster in the palace, adds a spooky element to the otherwise cozy atmosphere.
The Witch’s Bakery draws clear inspiration from Studio Ghibli, both in its aesthetic and musical style, with the soundtrack composed by Cécile Corbel, who also worked on The Secret World of Arrietty. The game’s blend of charming character designs, emotional storytelling, and a calming gameplay loop positions it as a cozy title for players seeking a heartfelt experience.