Haven Developer Breaks Down How Players Will Explore, Fight, And Cuddle On An Alien Planet

Haven developer The Game Bakers have detailed in a new PlayStation Blog post how the gameplay of its PS5 co-op RPG game will function. Described as a Romeo and Juliet tale that features star-crossed lovers on the run, how Haven will play was broken up into three core categories by creative director Emeric Thoa: Exploration through gliding, combat, and preparing for your next adventure on a distant planet.

Exploration involves following a "Flow Thread," that is designed to feel relaxing, beautiful, and fun while also emphasizing the feeling of being a couple in Haven. By gathering Flow energy players can clean the planet up of the corruptive Rust influence that has blighted the land and discover resources that can be used to repair the Nest spaceship and base of operations, collectible items, and materials to help out during combat sequences.

Combat is also a cooperative experience that requires players to support and defend the characters of Yu and Kay when they encounter Rust-afflicted creatures, coordinating with one another in a tag-team effort that weakens an enemy and leaves it open for a heavy attack.

"That combat system is thought to make you want to optimize your chain of actions so that everything flows, a bit like in a rhythm game," Thoa explained. "When you've found the right pace, it feels very satisfying to chain actions one after the other, minimizing the hits taken and maximizing the damage to the rusted creatures."

The final part of Haven's gameplay cycle requires rest, relaxation, and cuddling. In the NEST spaceship, players can heal themselves, craft new gear, and cook meals that give them combat efficiency. These moments of intimacy help strengthen the bond of Yu and Kay, and also provide more experience points than regular combat does.

"Cooking, sharing a good meal and taking a little break is when they grow, as characters and as a couple. It develops their relationship, and leads to leveling up." Thoa said. "In Haven, you won't gain that many experience points in combat, you gain more by just spending good time together. That really makes Haven different, as it's usually skipped in RPGs. You never see your heroes in their intimity. In Haven, you do."

Haven is also releasing on PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S in 2020.