The Bear is a lovingly handcrafted indie title, that has been recognized with nominations and awards for its heartfelt narrative and stunning visuals.
In The Bear players lead a mismatched duo, the Bear and the Little One, on an adventure across planets and stars. This short, but meaningful interactive story with around 45 minutes of playtime offers a soothing narrative that unfolds like a bedtime story read to you by a loved one.
With meticulously crafted hand-drawn animations and poetic storytelling, The Bear transports players to an abstract world filled with tiny planets, fish that swim through space and lamps that grow like flowers. As players guide the Bear and the Little One from planet to planet, they witness the growth of a loving friendship and encounter other endearing characters of the World of Gra. As a metaphorical story about belonging, loss and change, the game is often compared to Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince.
The Bear was released as a mobile title on iOS on April 16th 2024. It was awarded the German Computer Game Award for Best Graphic Design and was nominated for Best Story. It won the Grand Prize for Digital Picture Books in Tokyo, Japan and was recognized for its Social and Cultural Impact by the Apple Design Awards and App Store Awards.
“We really wanted to create a meaningful experience, a game that does more than just enter- tain,” says Clara Deitmar, Writer and Director of The Bear. “In this hectic world, we could all use a bedtime story sometimes, no matter the age.”
As an interactive bedtime story, all aspects of the game are designed to be calming: The mut- ed, calm colors become warmer and warmer as the game progresses. Whereas at the beginning you still had to solve small puzzles to get the Bear out of its caves, later on you freely glide through wide open space. The game has an inverted difficulty curve: like the characters them- selves, you feel increasingly lighter and can dive into the story and the dreamlike world.
A demo of The Bear is currently available to the public through Steam. The Bear is part of the upcoming Steam Next Fest and the Visual Novel Fest. It’s price is set to 5,99 € / 5,99 $ or its local equivalent.
Steam Page: Here App Store: Here
Trailer: Here Google Play Store: Here
For more information about The Bear, please visit www.worldofgra.com.
About Mucks! Games:
Mucks! Games is a three-person indie studio from Ludwigsburg, Germany. Committed to craft- ing visually engaging 2D story games with big messages, Mucks! Games explores themes such as digital well-being, feminism, and human connection. Our female creative leads bring unique perspectives that shape our artistic identity. Our philosophy? Treat games like the art they are— author-based creations with a clear vision, telling personal and poetic stories.