Cologne-based developer Slow Bros. has partnered with publisher Curve Digital on its hand-crafted subterranean adventure Harold Halibut. Targeting a 2019 release on PC and consoles, Harold Halibut is a narrative exploration game that combines underwater atmosphere and self-reflective humour with a unique art style.

Comprised entirely of real world supplies and made in Unity, Harold Halibut aims to bridge analogue and digital art. Slow Bros. sculpts, paints, and glues together the models and puppets that make up the world of Harold Halibut, while a team of digital artists renders these objects into the virtual space.

Harold Halibut tells the tale of a clumsy lab-assistant and janitor who was born on a submerged spaceship that crash-landed on an alien planet made entirely of water. Never knowing what life was like on Earth, Harold spends much of his time daydreaming about what’s beyond the subterranean vessel in which he is bound. After spotting an unidentified swimming object, Harold becomes obsessed with uncovering the mystery behind this aquatic planet.

“Harold Halibut started out as a dinner table conversation about the adventure games we played as children,” said Slow Bros. designer, writer, and composer Onat Hekimoglu. “We soon started building dollhouse sized sets and puppets in our bedrooms. The result works like a game but it looks like a stop motion film. Welded metal, carefully sewn textiles against tiny wooden floorboards, and clay faces the size of walnuts pull the player into Harold’s world.”

“We are beyond excited to be partnering with Slow Bros. on Harold Halibut,” said Simon Byron, Publishing Director at Curve Digital. “The sheer amount of work and intricate detail that Harold Halibut brings blew us away, and we can’t wait to show you all more.”

Slow Bros. was founded in 2015 by long time friends Onat Hekimoglu, Ole Tillmann, Fabian Preuschoff and Daniel Beckmann. The studio member’s diverse backgrounds including video game production, filmmaking, carpentry, apparel, and illustration give them a unique skill set with various applications, from games, over VR-experiences to art installations. Currently the studio is producing their first full-length video game, Harold Halibut.

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