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Luna is an intriguing looking title coming from indie studio Funomena, and backed by some of the minds behind indie PS3 blockbuster Journey (2012). The studio has announced a launch date for October 17th and that the game will be coming to the Rift, Vive, and Windows VR (and PC).

Journey’s executive producer, Robin Hunicke, and engine programmer, Martin Middleton, met at game studio Thatgamecompany (which developed Journey), and afterward came together to found Funomena in 2013 with the underlying idea that “games can have a positive impact on the world.”

When I previewed Luna back in late 2016 I found a game with great audio and visual design, though the experience felt more like… well, and experience than a game:

I enjoyed the visual and sound design, and liked the slightly creative and interactive musical elements in the terrarium at the end, however, I didn’t get a sense of what the broader gameplay might look like once fleshed out into a full game, and for the time being I didn’t feel a strong hook that made me eager to experience more of Luna’s world. I wanted to care about the adorable critters before me, or be enchanted by the gameplay, but at least the brief 10 minutes I spent with the game, I didn’t see hints of where that hook might emerge. […] Luna is much different than most of what else is being created for VR right now, which is a good thing, but as the title continues development it seems like it could benefit from a more firm direction toward the ‘game’ or ‘experience’ categories, as sticking to the middle of the road could leave both camps unsatisfied.

With nearly a year of additional development time under the title’s belt, I’m hoping Luna‘s narrative and gameplay will have evolved to match its superb sound and visuals. The latest snippet from the Luna website gives an idea of what the title will offer: