Unless you’re extremely lucky, most of us will experience a life of ups and downs. While it’s easier to deal with the highs, it’s what you do with the lows that speaks to the nature of your character. It seems for HumaNature Studios’ Greg Johnson dealing with the tragic loss of his adult daughter and the devastation of the 2023 Lahaina fires prompted him to do what he knows best, create games.
Inspired by the culture of his Thai wife and the concept of “Tham Boon” he turned it into the title Dancing with Ghosts. I don’t think I could elaborate on the story of how the game came to be, so if you want to learn more directly from the source, Greg is keeping a Substack in which he details the development process and he isn’t afraid to pour his heart out when it comes to details.
As for what you do in the game itself, you play as a young girl named Mai who recently lost both parents in an accident. Blaming herself for the accident, she lives a dour existence until she runs into a ghostly girl named Pim. Finding a kindred *ahem* spirit helps turn Mai’s life around as she goes about helping Pim recover memories of her previous life while the ghost goes about the river village aiding Mai and other residents with their daily struggles.
HumaNature revealed the title this past weekend at The MIX Fall Game Showcase which took place in Seattle during PAX West and attendees even got hands on with the title. The game is set for a 2026 release on PC and Switch and the studio is looking to get additional funding via a Kickstarter set to launch sometime in October.
So while Dancing with Ghosts might not normally be in my wheelhouse, I’m certainly charmed by its artstyle and impressed with how it came together. I know I’ll be pouring over the Substack to learn more about the title as we head towards the game’s crowdfunding campaign.
Dancing with Ghosts Trailer
Dancing with Ghosts screens/art:
