HomeFeaturesSong Of Nunu: A League Of Legends Story
Rime devs say “you’re going to cry” with their new League Of Legends game"Hopefully for the right reasons," they say, when Song Of Nunu releases on November 1st
“Hopefully for the right reasons,” they say, when Song Of Nunu releases on November 1st
Image credit:Riot Forge
Image credit:Riot Forge
I got to play a very small slice of it at Gamescom last month, and yep, if you’ve been craving another low stakes adventure that’s all but guaranteed to wrench at your heartstrings and wibble your tear ducts, Song Of Nunu will almost certainly fill thatRime-shaped hole in your life when it comes to PC on November 1st.
Image credit:Riot Forge
“If there’s a vibe for the game, it’s a big, warm hug,” Riot Forge’s creative director Rowan Parker tells me as I start getting to grips with budding boy warrior Nunu and his magical yeti friend Willump. As a pair, they instantly bring back memories of Rime’s young protagonist and the golem-like creatures he encounters late on during his journey, but right from the off, Willump proves he’s anything but slow and plodding. Indeed, after guiding Nunu toward a small rocky bridge, he automatically jumps up on Willump’s back and the duo break out into a spirited jog, with a further gallop reserved for holding down Shift or pressing in your analogue stick.
“Most of the time you are playing with Nunu, but it would be a waste, and not very fun, if you couldn’t just ride the yeti from time to time,” Tequila Works CEO Raúl Rubio Munárriz adds with a laugh. And he’s right. Willump certainly makes getting around the icy plains of the Freljord a lot easier, and Rubio Munárriz says there will be “more than just ice and snow” to navigate over the course of the game, teasing that some “iconic” locations from the world of League Of Legends will be making an appearance as well.
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Image credit:Riot Forge
Of course, as with most of Tequila Works' games, combat isn’t exactly the main focus. “It’s not a Souls game,” Rubio Munárriz chuckles, emphasising that one of their goals with Song Of Nunu was to keep it accessible to players of all skill levels, providing a relaxed and “chill” experience (no pun intended). He assures me that both its action and its platforming will still evolve in surprising ways as the game progresses, but this is ultimately a story about a boy looking for his mother, and not your classic ‘quest to save the world’ affair.
Case in point: the rest of my demo is spent clambering about the environment in typical 3D platformer fashion, sledding down long ice chutes on Willump’s belly in high-speed slides, and using Willump’s ice magic to freeze lakes and waterfalls to climb up to higher ground. At certain points, playing songs on Nunu’s magic flute will also change the shape of the world around him, activating levitating platforms and other ancient machinery to help him on his journey.
Image credit:Riot Forge
Image credit:Riot Forge
Willump, too, will clap and dance if you do a good job with your flute playing, and during more idle moments he’ll draw on the walls, flump down on the ground and generally have a nose around - characteristics that Rubio Munárriz says were key to driving home that “Willump is not just an extension of the player.”
“He’s not just there to assist you,” he continues. “He’s a friend, and stretching that bond is super important.” Parker concurs, adding: “We put so much work into having [Willump] feel like a living, breathing friend that you hang out with. He does things you can’t necessarily predict, he shows emotion, he goes and interacts with the environment, you can just run up and hug him if you want to.”
Alas, before I get to see more of Nunu and Willump’s adventures, my demo comes to an end. It may have only been a 20-minute demo, but even this early section of the game looks very much like a return to form for the Rime team.
For more of the latest news and previews from Gamescom 2023, head to ourGamescom 2023 hub. You can also findeverything announced at Opening Night Liveright here.
