We learn what the driving force is behind some of this year’s upcoming games as developers speak out about their game inspirations.
On the run-up to the much-anticipated Tribeca Film Festival from June 9 to August 06, 2025,we learned that eight titleswould be making their first-ever appearance for the festival’s 20th anniversary.
Along with a special outdoor live concert at NYC’s The Battery that includesThe Songs of Red Dead Redemption 2being played by the original soundtrack producer for the game Daniel Lanois, fans will also get to experience exclusive gameplay footage online at The Tribeca Games Spotlight that will comprise of this year’s Official Selections.
As we near closer to the festival, we take a look at the eight announced games and how iconic movies and games likeE.T, Zelda, The Shining, Alice in Wonderland, Monkey Islandand many more have helped inspire these today to what we will see and play this year.
Harold Halibut
Harold Halibutis a beautifully handmade narrative game about friendship and life on a city-sized spaceship submerged in an alien ocean. Ole Tillmann, Art Director at Slow Brows, discusses where the developers got the inspiration from.
“Harold Halibuthad so many influences, from stop-Motion in general, ranging from the classical Czech animation films, Aardman Animations’Wallace & Gromit, Wes Anderson, 90’s sci-fi-fantasy films likeE.T.orThe Abyss, Pixar, Wong Kar-wai, Japanese cinema and animation, including Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, Katsuhiro Otomo, Mamoru Oshii etc.”
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
The game that has captured everyone’s hearts that includes those adorable rot creatures, is about a young woman calledKenawho travels to an abandoned village in search of the sacred mountain shrine.
Josh Grier, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Ember Lab said this when it came to howKena: Bridge of Spiritswas created.
“We were inspired by many of the adventure games that have come before us, most notably,Zelda. Additionally, our time living in Japan exposed us to the works of Miyazaki and other cultural influences that have shaped the themes of many of our independent projects.”
Lost in Random
You don’t have to look too far to see whereLost in Randomgot some of their inspiration from. The stunning and quirky title certainly gives off Tim Burton vibes but you may be surprised that the developers also got their motivation from an Australian artist, writer and filmmaker.
Klaus Lyngeled, CEO and Creative Director at Zoink has this to say onLost in Random.
“The macabre, beautiful, and highly visual Kingdom of Random was inspired by the works of those such as Shaun Tan, Tim Burton, andAlice in Wonderland.”
A game about set in the decaying suburbs of South Louisiana, Norco is a sci-fi Southern Gothic point and click adventure that explores the industrial swamplands.
Developers Geography of Robots had this to say about Norco:
“NORCOdraws from a wide range of sources: Southern Gothic authors such as William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, or Cormac McCarthy, and many urban theorists and environmental justice scholars including Robert Bullard, Eyal Weizman, and Mike Davis. Additional influences include New Orleans-based visual artists Max Seckel, Hannah Chalew, and Pippin Frisbie-Calder, the early visual text adventures of Hideo Kojima, many sound artists and musicians including Laurie Spiegel, Coil, Ghost Box Records, Bohren and Der Club of Gore, and Plone. And we can’t forget the beautiful indie games by developers like Sonoshee, Yames, or Jessica Harvey.”
Sabletakes players on a hoverbike adventure across deserts and landscapes littered with fallen spaceships whilst unearthing mysteries.
Gregorios Kythereotis who is the Creative Director at Shedworks spoke briefly about how Studio Ghibli played a part in creating the game.
“French and Belgian artists using the clair ligne style from the 80’s/90’s and movies created by Studio Ghibli likeNausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.”
A classic survival horror experience with a unique aesthetic,Signaliswill allow players to investigate a dark secret, solve puzzles, fight off nightmarish creatures and navigate dystopian, surreal retrotech worlds as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost dreams.
Developer rose engine cited Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch as inspirational undercurrents for their unique title.
“Nothing can be created in a vacuum free of inspiration - naturally, many artists and their bodies of work have left strong impressions on us and subtly influenced the way we approach our own work. ForSignalis, the works of Tsutomu Nihei, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, and Mamoru Oshii have been a strong influence.”
The Big Con
If you live for all things the 90s inspired, you just might digThe Big Con. As a run-away teen artist, players will learn how to live on the mean streets as a pick-pocket and a master of disguises.
“In making The Big Con, we were heavily inspired by the ’90s including Nickelodeon, Ghost World, Monkey Island, Toejam & Earl, and movies like The Wizard, Blank Cheque and Matchstick Men” said Dave Proctor, Game Director at Mighty Yell.
Twelve Minutes
This is most certainly a game many gamers have been looking forward to getting their hands on. An interactive narrative that has already received praise.Twelve Minutestells the tale of a man stuck in a time-loop where he relives the same terror again and again.
Luis Antonio, Creative Director of the game states that “Twelve Minutespulls inspirations from films includingMemento, Rear WindowandThe Shining.”
The 20th Tribeca Film Festival is currently scheduled to take place from June 9 to June 16, 2025. For more information, you may check out the Tribeca Film websiteright here.
