The pre-E3 hits keep coming as XSEED Games revealed the first of their line-up, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin. First revealed last year at Japan’s Comic Market 90, it will be playable in English for the first time at the expo this coming June. It will launch on PlayStation 4 and PC in 2018.

In contrast to developer Edelweiss’ previous game Astebreed, a shoot-em-up, Sakuna is a side-scrolling action game, with a hint of Odin Sphere in it, and plenty of combat and weapon/food crafting. The Japanese trailer below gives a demonstration of what you can expect from the final release.

Not only is this indie affair different for Edelweiss in genre, but also in setting and inspiration. Of Rice and Ruin wears its inspiration of Japanese mythology on its sleeve, with mythical monsters and demons to fight, and Sakuna herself being a harvest goddess, a play on Japan’s divinity to Shintoist gods and goddesses. As a harvest goddess, she’ll fight with a magical suite of farming tools, naturally.

 

Stay tuned to Operation Rainfall for more on Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, of which more will come in the next two weeks when E3 2017 starts on June 13th.

Alex Irish
When he's not writing about games, Alex Irish is an illustrator and animation expert. His favorite gaming franchise is Pokémon, full-stop, but his favorite game of all time is Resident Evil 4. He attended the first-ever IGN House Party and is a five-time attendee of the Ottowa International Animation Festival.