{"id":31040,"date":"2026-08-07T11:54:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T06:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=31040"},"modified":"2026-08-07T11:54:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T06:54:21","slug":"spirited-away-meets-paper-mario-in-stunning-new-dark-fantasy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=31040","title":{"rendered":"Spirited Away Meets Paper Mario In Stunning New Dark Fantasy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Studio Ghibli&#8217;s iconic <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/tag\/studio-ghibli\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em><strong>Spirited Away<\/strong><\/em><\/a> animated film may be one of the most influential pieces of media in the past 25 years. Since its release in 2001, Hayao Miyazaki&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/studio-ghibli-most-award-movie-princess-mononoke-factoid\/\" target=\"_blank\">Academy Award-winning masterpiece<\/a> has transcended animation to become a cultural touchstone, inspiring filmmakers, television creators, and game developers around the world.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>Its dreamlike world-building, surreal landscapes, and touching coming-of-age story can be seen in everything from Pixar productions and fantasy television to critically acclaimed games such as <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/zelda-breath-wild-secret-wall-jump\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/em><\/a> and <em>Hollow Knight<\/em>. More than two decades later, <em>Spirited Away<\/em> remains a benchmark for visual storytelling.<\/p>\n<p>Now, in a visually stunning new release inspired directly by <em>Spirited Away<\/em>, gamers will partake in a brand-new adventure with gameplay mechanics pulled straight out of the <em>Paper Mario<\/em> playbook (via <a href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/2833430\/A_Journeys_End\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Steam<\/a>).<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Journeys end outdoor landscape\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/journeys-end-outdoor-landscape.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>A Journey&#8217;s End<\/em> is a beautiful upcoming indie game from the developer behind Harvest Island at Yobob Games. The game is still in early development at the moment, but recently launched an official website with a ton of fresh details and a progress update. Further, according to a recent press release, <em>&#8220;the demo is currently in development, and our goal is to have it in players\u2019 hands before the end of the year,&#8221; <\/em>so gamers can expect to get their hands on a free preview sometime in 2026. <\/p>\n<p>In terms of story, <em>A Journey&#8217;s End<\/em> is<em> &#8220;inspired by the atmosphere of Spirited Away [and] follows a boy trapped in a mysterious bathhouse, forced to serve strange spirits while searching for a way home before the Spirit Feast Festival begins.&#8221; <\/em>According to the official description and details on the newly launched <a href=\"https:\/\/ajourneysendgame.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">website<\/a>, the boy will have to cater to various customer requests such as cleaning bathtubs, wiping down floors, dusting cobwebs, fueling the broiler, etc., all while avoiding certain spirits with an appetite. <\/p>\n<p>Aside from the obvious <em>Spirited Away<\/em> aesthetic and vibe, the game incorporates platforming and gameplay mechanics <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/paper-mario-thousand-year-door-partner-ring-galleries\/\" target=\"_blank\">inspired by <em>Paper Mario<\/em><\/a>, according to a recent blog post made this summer. <em>&#8220;The game leaned on a 2.5D look where art assets were drawn in 2D placed in a 3D world. The idea was to make a game like Paper Mario,&#8221;<\/em> the post explains, going on to detail the game&#8217;s evolution into a 3D world that still incorporates platforming mechanics from the previous design. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"w-promotion-offer promo-article-content-3\/4-depth w-promotion-widget\" data-popup=\"false\" data-sentinel-tracking=\"false\" data-promotion-zone=\"TmV3c2xldHRlciBBcnRpY2xlIENvbnRlbnQgV2lkZ2V0\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n                                        <link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/assets\/promotions.099cca01.css\"\/>\n<\/aside>\n<p>On top of this 2.5D-turned-3D platforming gameplay design, <em>A Journey&#8217;s End<\/em> incorporates a unique noise mechanic that will trigger spirits to swarm in your direction when you fall or make too much noise in the wrong areas. <em>&#8220;Every time you make a step or jump, it creates noise and a UI indicator will show it. Maxing out the indicator will trigger the shark spirit to chase you.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Overall, while details are still a little sparse on the project, A Journey&#8217;s End is currently building a respectable and enthusiastic audience ahead of its potential demo launch later this year. If you&#8217;re interested in learning more about the project, you can check out the official website, wishlist it on Steam, or join the Discord for official updates in the coming months. <\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card tag type-generic small \" data-show-streamrentbuy-links=\"false\" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"8b09-44c5-bd690b471a47\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content\">\n<div class=\"display-card-content image-column small\">\n<p>                        <!--  Image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-img \" data-stnl-group-once=\"VbcQcL00Kf\">\n<div class=\"body-img portrait \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  img-article-square\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\"\/><img width=\"280\" height=\"420\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Steam Poster\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/steam-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=280&amp;dpr=1\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"display-card-content info-column\">\n<p>                    <!--  Display card main info widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info main-info\">\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info\">\n<dl>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Brand<\/strong> \t\t\t\t\t<\/dt>\n<dd>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tValve<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Original Release Date<\/strong> \t\t\t\t\t<\/dt>\n<dd>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSeptember 12, 2003<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<\/dl><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                    <!--  Display card main info widget end -->\n                <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <!-- Default Description or Custom one added by creator ( override )--><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Extra content section, display hidden by default --><br \/>\n            <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"extra-content-8b09-44c5-bd690b471a47\" name=\"extra-content-8b09-44c5-bd690b471a47\" class=\"expand-extra-info-checkbox css-menu-checkbox\"\/> <!-- Checkbox: control the expandable behavior  of the extra info --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- PROS and CONS section --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Affiliate links section --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Display card footer --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Studio Ghibli&#8217;s iconic Spirited Away animated film may be one of the most influential pieces of media in the past 25 years. Since its release in 2001, Hayao Miyazaki&#8217;s Academy Award-winning masterpiece has transcended animation to become a cultural touchstone, inspiring filmmakers, television creators, and game developers around the world. Its dreamlike world-building, surreal landscapes,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31041,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a-journey-s-end-cover-image.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}