Tukoni: Forest Keepers transforms the hand-drawn illustrations of Ukrainian artist and author Oksana Bula into a playable 2D adventure. Ukrainian studio Dream Operator built the game around exploration, cooperation, and environmental storytelling. Players navigate a forest populated by mythical woodland creatures called Tukoni, with the focus on quiet observation rather than action.
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A World Built on Calm Exploration
Tukoni: Forest Keepers skips combat and fail states entirely. The pace is deliberately slow, giving players room to explore and assist the forest's inhabitants without pressure. You play as the Traveller, a Tukoni spirit preparing the forest community for Winter. Most interactions revolve around small gestures of care, like brewing and sharing herbal teas, which tie into the series' themes of kindness and community.
The design takes cues from Amanita Design's work, particularly Botanicula and Samorost 3, which tell stories and present puzzles through visuals instead of text. Tukoni: Forest Keepers communicates through animated pictograms and character gestures, keeping the experience calm while making puzzles intuitive to solve.
Developing Under Challenging Conditions
Dream Operator operates with a team of roughly five people. Co-founder Oleksii Furman calls the project "a kind of safety dome for players," a description shaped by the team's experience creating the game during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The concept originated during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering both developers and players a grounding, peaceful experience when uncertainty dominated daily life.
For the studio, the creative work has provided stability amid broader chaos. Team members stay in regular contact to confirm everyone's safety after missile strikes. The game reflects the developers' own need for calm and community. Furman notes that games like this offer players an escape, but the act of creating them also strengthens resilience for the people making them.
Translating Book Art into Interactive Design
Oksana Bula serves as art director and concept artist, working directly with the team to preserve the look and layered quality of her hand-drawn illustrations while adapting them for interactive 2D gameplay. She describes the forest as more than scenery; it embodies the core of the Traveller's journey.
Bula and the Dream Operator team collaborate closely on character behavior and environmental storytelling. She doesn't design puzzles herself, but her guidance keeps the game faithful to the Tukoni universe. The team has internalized the characters' personalities and habits, maintaining consistency across the game world.
Gameplay Focused on Community and Kindness
Tukoni: Forest Keepers centers on cooperative tasks instead of conflict. Actions involve helping forest spirits, building connections, and observing your surroundings. Tea preparation, drawn from the books' lore, appears frequently and reflects the series' emphasis on everyday rituals and shared moments.
There are no time limits or failure states. Players move at their own pace. Interactions with the forest community reinforce care and support, aligning with the broader narrative of harmony with nature and each other.
Release and Availability
Tukoni: Forest Keepers is scheduled to release on the Epic Games Store. The game targets audiences looking for a calm, visually rich adventure focused on exploration, storytelling, and simple cooperative tasks rather than challenge or competition.
By adapting the Tukoni universe into a game format, Dream Operator and Oksana Bula aim to reach a wider audience while preserving the aesthetic and thematic qualities of the original books. The result is a peaceful, narrative-driven experience built on care, observation, and connection with the natural world.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Tukoni: Forest Keepers about?
The game is a 2D adventure focused on exploring a forest, helping mythical creatures called Tukoni, and preparing the forest for Winter. It emphasizes calm exploration and acts of care.
Who developed Tukoni: Forest Keepers?
Ukrainian studio Dream Operator developed it in collaboration with author and artist Oksana Bula, who also serves as art director.
Will the game have combat or fail states?
No. The game skips combat and fail states entirely, focusing on exploration, problem-solving, and interacting with forest spirits.
What platforms will Tukoni: Forest Keepers be available on?
The game is scheduled to release on the Epic Games Store for PC.
What inspired the game's visual style?
The 2D visuals draw from Oksana Bula's hand-drawn illustrations in the Tukoni books and games by Amanita Design, preserving a layered, book-like aesthetic.
Does tea play a role in the game?
Yes. Tea preparation appears frequently, reflecting the lore and rituals of the Tukoni universe and emphasizing community and shared experiences.
How does the game reflect its Ukrainian origins?
Developed during challenging times in Ukraine, the game embodies themes of kindness, resilience, and community. It serves as both a creative outlet for the team and a peaceful experience for players.
