Aka is a game that looks at loss on a large scale, following a war. Playing as a red panda who has vowed to no longer use their katana for war and instead only use it as a scythe, you move to a small island to attempt to find a peaceful life. 

Many of the implications of grief are quite subtle in Aka: you are existing in a world that experienced profound loss and as you explore you begin to realise this fact. You move into an abandoned home on the island (its previous owner never returned from the war); you help an orphaned kitten; and seemingly every NPC you meet has a story about what they’ve lost. You will also find ghosts along your adventure – the souls of those impacted by the war – who you can help to move on. 

Aka approaches the subject of grief in a hopeful way as you seek to repair the damage of the past, and focuses on relaxation and mindfulness through mechanics such as being able to just take a seat by a pond and watch the fish for a while. You can fully take your time with each aspect of the game, with no pressure to complete goals, no stamina or hunger: you need only to exist and live in the world it presents to you. 

You can follow the creator of Aka here.

Features: 

• Relaxing farming sim gameplay 
• Quests to help other island inhabitants 
• Thoughtful and affecting dialogue 
• Painted art style