Games with Ghibli vibes are becoming more prevalent these days, but so far, the closest I've gotten to feeling like a Ghibli protagonist floating in a summery field of grass has been with Hoa, a new platforming game from Vietnamese studio Skrollcat. Hoa's inspirations are clear the moment the game starts, with a tiny protagonist floating dreamily to an island upon a single leaf before wordlessly beginning to explore. Without exposition, the titular Hoa begins to explore a world of sunlight filtered through green, gentle bug friends, hanging flowers and vines, sparkling cave systems, and soft, natural beauty. It's all done in a hand-painted style clearly nodding to its animated inspirations, and underscored by a tender, fully orchestrated soundtrack that, yes, directly hearkens to the musical vibes of Joe Hisaishi. Creators Son Tung Cao and Son Tra Le tell me how Hoa was inspired by their own personal experiences together. The two met in 2017 at Singapore's Nanyang T