The Heroes Around Me drawing closer on PC

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Narrative-driven pixel art family drama set in 1990s China to be available soon in English

It can't be easy being a single parent, especially of a weak and sickly child. But through the bonds of a loving family relationship, there are many precious moments to be cherished as well. We'll soon have the chance to experience both the hardship and the heartwarming adventures of just such a father and daughter in OKJOY Studio's upcoming The Heroes Around Me.

Nan is a quiet but hard-working man who lives with his young daughter Lili and their pet dog Sesame. Lili is sweet but has always been small and weak, and though she's managed to exceed all expectations in living this long, she's desperately in need of surgery if she's ever going to get better. While story details are sparse, the game explores the relationship between Nan and Lili as they face their difficult circumstances together, strong in the belief that they can overcome any and all challenges together. 

The Heroes Around Me is a side-scrolling slice-of-life tale presented in lovely pixel art, not unlike another acclaimed Asian adventure, A Space for the Unbound. Where that game is set in Indonesia, however, this one is based in a fairly well-off area of China where the writer lived in the 1990s, a personal experience that influenced all aspects of the design in making it feel wholly authentic. The gameplay focuses much more on narrative than puzzles, but occasionally players must engage in a variety of minigames to help enact the interactions between Nan and Lili to drive the story forward, such as an imaginary turn-based RPG battle between Lili's superpowered hero Wonder Girl and her villainous archnemesis, Scissor Monster. 

The Chinese release of The Heroes Around Me is available now on Steam for Windows PC, though English speakers will need to wait a while longer for the localized version to be complete.  

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