The team at Double Fine Productions have a strong reputation for delivering unique games with a style all their own and after playing through Psychonauts 2, which was likely my favourite game of 2021, I was looking forward to what was next and was wonderfully surprised when finally getting to play Keeper.

The story of Keeper begins with your character, a sentient lighthouse, pulling itself out of the ground and taking its first steps. That kicks off a journey with your bird-like companion taking you through a world that appears old and crumbling but full of exotic creatures and vibrant environments. I’m not going to say too much else about the story except that there are a few twists and turns that also mix up the game mechanics in the process which does a lot to keep the game fresh through its 6-8 hour play time. The game is mostly a linear affair that feels like an interactive movie, thanks to its fixed cameras and focus on making each shot look good.

Looking good is an understatement for Keeper – it is by far one of the prettiest games I’ve played this year and I found no shortage of screenshot worthy images. It’s got this Pixar meets Fallout meets Dr Seuss thing that I am trying to pin down but can’t so I just stick to sitting back and marvelling at it. Additionally the animation works brilliantly – that the team can emote so much, so easily out of a walking lighthouse shows a team at the top of their game.

I had an awesome time playing Keeper and loved my time playing from start to finish. It’s smartly paced, a difficulty that makes it accessible to all and it might even instill some real wonder in the most jaded of gamers.

Keeper is out now for PC and Xbox. Played on an Xbox Series X via Game Pass.