NAIRI series to culminate in Blinding Light

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Final installment of hand-painted fantasy trilogy coming to Steam in 2027

In 2018, the husband-and-wife team of Dutch developer Joshua van Kuilenburg and Japanese artist You Miichi introduced us to an exotic but caste-divided oasis city of people and anthropomorphic animals in NAIRI: Tower of Shirin. The story continued six years later in Rising Tide but didn't end there, finishing on a cliffhanger to leave us dangling a bit longer. Fortunately the wait for the final chapter won't be nearly as wrong, as Blinding Light promises to close out the series for good when it arrives next year. 

The series is named after its plucky young protagonist, an upper-class human girl who has lived a sheltered life until she becomes separated from her family far from home and forced to find her way back. Along the way she meets a charismatic ex-criminal rat named Rex, and together they meet a variety of friends and foes while uncovering a history of dark hidden secrets in Shirin. When more misfortune later befalls Nairi's family, she and Rex set out on a dangerous quest to save them against the backdrop of an apocalyptic prophecy that could spell doom for the entire city. 

If you haven't played either of the first two games, you'll probably want to ahead of the third, but Blinding Light promises "elaborate" story recaps for returning players needing a refresher or newcomers jumping straight in the climactic series finale. This time around, in "the face of great loss, Nairi swears vengeance on Shirin’s greatest tyrant." Her journey now leads from "the city’s wealthiest wards to forgotten ruins entombed deep below the surface." It's there that Nairi will ultimately "meet her destiny" in an attempt to save not only herself but "her family and her city from a prophesied cataclysm." 

The NAIRI series is inspired by the likes of The Last Airbender, Spirited Away and Toy Story, so once again it will aim for a tonal balance of "whimsy with a serious story and layered characters." As with its predecessors, Blinding Light will be a first-person, slideshow-style adventure featuring an original soundtrack and gorgeously hand-painted artwork across "dozens of detailed scenes, in an art style that blends Western and Eastern sensibilities." As you explore the "lush Penguin Lagoon and descend into the ruins of ancient civilizations [where] a colossal beast stirs," the gameplay will once again blend "visual novel storytelling, point-and-click puzzles and Zelda-esque dungeons" (but without the combat or action-oriented gameplay of the latter). 

Indeed, using your wits will become more and more integral the deeper you venture into the "vast, seamlessly interconnected puzzle dungeon beneath the city." You'll acquire necessary items in your travels, and your trusty Tool Belt will allow you to combine some and even craft new ones to help overcome obstacles. Success will require thought and careful observation, but aiding you along the way will be a variety of quality-of-life features, including "maps, optional hint systems, fast travel" and more. 

We're still in the dark about a target release date for now, but NAIRI: Blinding Light is on track to launch on Steam sometime in 2027 for Windows PC. 

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