This Day-One Xbox Game Pass Release On May 23 Has Undertale Vibes & Looks Amazing

Summary Hauntii offers unique gameplay mechanics combining genres, making it impossible to categorize into one genre alone.

The game's visual storytelling, charming NPCs, and heartfelt animations create a magical world for players to explore.

Hauntii's demo hints at potentially becoming an indie darling akin to Undertale, set for a May 23 release on Xbox Game Pass.

The Xbox Game Pass is known for its head-turning AAA titles, but with Microsoft's acquisition of numerous studios, there are plenty of indie games for subscription holders to explore while getting their money's worth. Games are being added constantly, some of which are part of the catalog on release. Starfield is an example of a triple-A launch, but an underground indie title called Hauntii is set to be released soon, and it promises to invoke Undertale vibes with its charming presentation.

Hauntii is being developed by Moonloop Games LLC, founded in 2022, and being made with the Unity engine. This is the developer's first title, based in a world of ghosts, and features many different gameplay mechanics from numerous genres. It is a truly unique title with a creative team behind it.

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Hauntii Is Set To Release On Xbox Game Pass On May 23

Day-One Xbox Game Pass Release

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Hauntii is one of the most unique games from both a visual and mechanical perspective. It's isometric, with a largely monochromatic, hand-drawn art style that is truly beautiful to behold. The animations are simple yet charming, for the most part, although in some instances, such as the introduction of the angel character, the hand-done animations are breathtakingly executed, displaying plenty of character. Hauntii is being published by Firestoke Games. On Moonloop's website, both the developer and publisher announced on February 7 that the title was coming to Game Pass.

The title is most like Undertale with its UI, text-based dialogue, and whimsical characters. It is far more experimental, of course, but the general vibe of its world elicits feelings similar to those of Toby Fox's indie darling. With the added outreach of the Xbox Game Pass, perhaps Hauntii could reach Undertale's great heights. It certainly has the creativity and love behind it to do so, and being released on several platforms will aid its launch. If the demo is anything to go by, which can be played on Steam for free, Hauntii will be an amazing addition to the Game Pass.

Unlike Hauntii, Undertale was developed by a single person: Toby Fox.

Hauntii Is A Unique, New Title

Unlike Any Title On Game Pass

Hauntii's visuals alone make it stand out, but when its gameplay elements are stacked on top, there is nothing else in the industry like it. Technically, the game is an isometric, twin-stick shooter, but it involves many mechanics that could put it in other genres. There are puzzle elements, and the slow, contemplative pace of the game makes it the perfect title to collect items and explore. With everything put together, it's impossible to put Hauntii into one specific genre.

Since the world of Hauntii is based around ghosts and the afterlife, the title's main mechanic revolves around haunting objects and enemies. The twin-stick shooting allows for the player character's ghost to use their haunting abilities for both combat and puzzle solving. It is a versatile system that forces players to pay attention to their surroundings in order to look for what they can use in certain situations. The beauty of the game certainly helps keep players glued to the screen in service of this.

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The World Of Hauntii Is Wonderfully Charming

Charming Audio & Hand-Drawn Visuals

Hauntii is heavily reliant on visual storytelling, and thankfully for the player, it excels in this regard in its demo. Breathtaking visuals are an asset to any kind of visual storytelling, but the music aids greatly here too, swelling in a crescendo during the demo's apex, as the player character attempts to ascend with the help of an angel, only to fail thanks to chains that keep them tethered. The game also zooms in and out according to what it needs to show, allowing Hauntii to present the impressive scale of some of its areas.

Thanks to its hand-drawn visuals, Hauntii can look brilliant while taking up very little space. According to its Steam page, only 4GB of storage is required to download it.

That's not to say that the elements outside the visual storytelling aren't as strong. Hauntii has a plethora of charming NPCs, whose cute and whimsical designs display a lot of character despite their simplicity. The dialogue is also equally charming in the introductory period, allowing for the game to show off its charisma in what is effectively tutorial tips. The animations of each character have been well executed, allowing players to see the love put into the game.

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Xbox Game Pass Might Have Another Indie Darling

Hauntii's demo is a short yet wonderful experience which invokes similar feelings to other indie titles, such

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as Undertale, but stands on its own thanks to how unique its cocktail of combined elements is. It is a beautiful game, able to tell its story, thus far, without bogging down the player with dialogue and exposition while presenting them with a magical world with secrets around every corner. There's something brilliantly retro about it, too, with everything being lovingly handcrafted.

When it is released on May 23, Xbox Game Pass could have an indie darling on par with Ori and the Blind Forest on its hands, provided the remainder of the game matches the demo in quality. With the somewhat concerning AAA gaming scene, indie titles such as Hauntii are the perfect medicine for a lack of creativity and is certainly one to look out for when it launches on Xbox Game Pass May 23, 2024.