Other Tales Interactive, the indie developers behind the co-op puzzle hit Tick Tock: A Tale for Two, have just announced their new game will be Miniatures, a collection of four playable stories about childhood.

In Miniatures, players will journey through short, dreamlike stories that explore serious themes as seen from a child’s perspective. The framing device is a mystery behind four objects in an old wooden box, with gameplay featuring simple interactions.

Miniatures doesn’t currently have a release date, but it’s expected to launch onto PC and mobile sometime in 2024. You can watch today’s announcement teaser on the Other Tales YouTube channel:

Tick Tock: A Tale for Two was highly praised for its imaginative premise and cleverly woven puzzles. Other Tales has noted on their official website that experimentation is their mission, and today’s announcement proves they haven’t lost their creative spark.

Miniatures looks every bit as unexpected and thoughtful as fans of the developer could hope for. It demonstrates some very remarkable range. The single-player approach is also a smart way for the devs to encourage self-reflection.

I’m already reading so much subtext, and Miniatures has an extraordinary art design. Its unconventional visuals will definitely make an impression, and it’s clear a lot of hard work went into it.

The gentle colors and moody score in today’s teaser also hint at a patient game. It will be interesting to see how each meaningful object creates a different world.

Sadly, Miniatures might also be a little niche for some casual gamers. But it should appeal to anyone seeking out this kind of narrative-driven indie.

Miniatures doesn’t really feel pretentious or gimmicky. Its premise seems to justify the stylized flavor at this time, though a full-length trailer would help. This sort of risky, sophisticated strangeness is exactly the kind of indie LBR was built to discover.

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