With fresh titles from Double Fine, the unexpected is always on the horizon. Yet, even by their metrics, a wandering lighthouse is quite extraordinary!
Shigeru Miyamoto recognizes that the greatest concepts often emerge during walks. For Lee Petty, the lead developer of Keeper, inspiration struck during a hike along the coastline amid the coronavirus outbreak. He traversed through forests and meadows until he stumbled upon an old lighthouse, teeming with seagulls lounging about.
This experience, combined with his appreciation for the artistry of film studios like Ghibli and surrealists such as Salvador Dali, ignited a plethora of ideas in his mind. He shared these concepts with Double Fine’s leader Tim Schafer, who is renowned for his openness to innovative projects.
Having previously served as the art director for titles like Brütal Legend, Tim granted Lee complete freedom to bring his vision to life, which included lighthouses and birds.
Lighthouse from the left
The outcome is titled Keeper, launching on October 17, 2025 exclusively on PC (Steam) and Xbox Series (and, due to Microsoft’s financing and distribution, also readily available in Game Pass), and is… well… what exactly is it?
An adventure. But not one starring brawny, weapon-toting heroes; instead, it features a lighthouse that possesses the remarkable ability to walk.
Thus, it embarks on a journey. Yet, it doesn’t venture alone; it is accompanied by a giant bird, whose design and quirky behavior evoke memories of Kevin from Pixar’s 2009 classic, Up. So, this unexpected duo sets off to… um… engage in activities. And explore their surroundings.
For more sticky clouds!
This already peculiar premise is executed with remarkable coherence in both gameplay and worldbuilding. Since a lighthouse in a forest and meadow cannot do much besides, and I can hardly believe I’m saying this, run and shine.
Once it gathers sufficient sticky clouds, it can also jump and hover briefly.
The left stick (or keyboard) maneuvers the tower, while the right stick (or mouse) directs the beam of light.
The left stick (or keyboard) maneuvers the tower, while the right stick (or mouse) directs the beam of light. Or rather, the beams of light, because the tower can emit light in various manners: The standard lamp casts a dim beam that illuminates cave flora, fosters plant growth, or triggers inexplicable little creatures to leap into the air simultaneously on the surface of a frozen lake, resulting in cracks in the ice.
Alternatively, the tower can concentrate its beam, assigning a task to the bird. The bird then soars off to operate gears, pull levers, or gather specific items, which then dangle from the tower.
Oh, hello time travel egg!
<p Occasionally, you’ll need to continue without the bird’s assistance. For example, one scene in the game presented a puzzle that needed solving with the aid of a brief journey into the past.
In this scenario, it is not the bird perched atop the spire, but an oversized egg.
When feeling restless, the bird sometimes flits away and entertains itself with various distractions in the environment. This is somewhat reminiscent of the 1993 point-and-click classic Sam & Max Hit The Road, where the mischievous rabbit Max frequently wanders off due to something intriguing nearby.
Wait, what?
There are also numerous fascinating sights to behold in Keeper. Even for a studio whose portfolio features sensory spectacles like Psychonauts 1&2, the graphic design truly stands out: the design of the vast landscapes is as painstakingly detailed as it is bizarre.
Among other adventures, you make your way through a city that appears to be constructed from plasticine and inhabited by unusual little mechanical creatures.
Or vibrant canyons that resemble they are filled with pink cotton.