Waltz and Jam shows off its charming afterlife
Flyway Games has debuted a new gameplay trailer for its hand-drawn action-adventure platformer about a lost ghost and his shape-shifting spirit puppy.
Waltz and Jam has just shown off a fresh slice of its afterlife, and it is difficult to imagine a more charming pair of guides than a lost ghost and his shape-shifting spirit puppy. Flyway Games debuted the new gameplay trailer during the Game Devs of Color Expo Direct, giving this hand-drawn action-adventure platformer another chance to make the afterlife look oddly inviting.
What's actually going on
According to the announcement, players take the role of Waltz, a pure-hearted ghost travelling through a mysterious afterlife with Jam, his loyal canine companion. The journey crosses seven distinct realms inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins, each with its own environments, enemies, puzzles and bosses.
Jam is not merely there to be adorable in the corner of the screen. Flyway Games says the puppy develops abilities that open new paths and help the pair overcome obstacles. The Steam listing gives the idea a particularly daft—and rather lovely—twist: Jam can transform into a water ball for bouncing and splashing, or a trampoline for launching Waltz through the world.
Waltz also collects toys left behind by legendary craftsmen. Those gadgets can trigger strange contraptions, reveal hidden passages and help send enemies flying. Each realm ultimately leads to a boss battle tied to the sin it represents, with players expected to read attack patterns and combine Waltz’s toys, Jam’s transformations and the surrounding environment.
Waltz and Jam is in development for PC via Steam, where the game is listed as coming soon. The announcement does not give a release date, so there is no launch window to circle in the calendar just yet. The newly released trailer is available on YouTube.
Why you should care
There is a welcome confidence to a platformer that makes its central mechanic a friendship rather than another sword, gun or suspiciously overpowered grappling hook. The dual-character setup also has practical promise: if Jam’s transformations genuinely change how players read the environment, the puppy could become a toolset rather than a mascot glued to the marketing art.
Our opinion
Waltz and Jam looks like the sort of game that understands spooky does not have to mean miserable. Its hand-drawn afterlife, seven sinful realms and shape-shifting dog give it a strong visual and mechanical identity, while the lack of a release date is the only cloud currently hanging over the pitch. Keep it on the Steam wishlist—this is one ghost story that deserves a closer look.