The Last of Us Meets Princess Mononoke in Unexpected Game Reveal

The year is almost over, but that means it’s time to make note of what you’re looking forward to in 2026.

The Game Awards will undoubtedly bring us some exciting reveals and world premieres in a few days time on 11 December.

In the meantime though, the Wholesome Snack 2025 Showcase is underway, delivering updates on all that’s to come in the world of cosy gaming.

One title that has immediately captured my attention is Verdant, an upcoming post-apocalyptic adventure that appears to blend together the world’s of The Last of Us and Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke.

Developed by Tiny Roar and set to be published by Megabit Publishing, this is the first we’re hearing of Verdant.

The game is described as a “coming of age story set in a lush, post-apocalyptic 1980s Germany”.

“As a young adventurer surviving in a new world, players will embark on a bittersweet journey of discovering, exploring a vibrant landscape full of mystery and piecing together the story of how the world changed and the role you will play in its future,” said a press release.

A World Reclaimed By Nature

As I said, Verdant has somewhat of a The Last of Us appeal.

For starters, both titles are set within post-apocalyptic environments built around the idea of the world being reclaimed by nature.

Verdant’s lead character is shown traversing built-up locations, now overrun by greenery and natural life.

Our lead is interestingly also covered in some kind of floral growth.

It’s far prettier than the fungus you might find covering a clicker, but there’s a similar imagery at play here.

At one point in the trailer, we see a human totally frozen in place covered in said floral growth, suggesting it may have caused their end.

I have a feeling it’ll be closely linked to whatever caused this world’s apocalypse, although interestingly, our protagonist seems to be able to utilise the floral growth’s power.

We see a close-up of our lead placing his floral arm on an unknown animal struggling for breath; I do hope this is to heal said animal and not steal its life essence.

Later on, our player character stumbles across what I’m going to describe as a deer/tree hybrid.

It’s all very Princess Mononoke-esque.

Very little is given away about the title’s gameplay but there is a shot of our lead finding a rifle suggesting that there is combat, plus our lead is carrying a backpack so there may be some survival elements at play.

All in all, Verdant looks fantastic so far.

Currently, the game is only confirmed for launch on PC via Steam with no release date given, but it’s certainly one to add to your wishlist if you like what you see.