‘Taival’ shapeshifts into Early Access
The game 'Taival' has launched into Early Access, featuring a unique shapeshifting creature companion named Henki. Players explore a blocky, open-world environment while managing combat and quest decisions as a group.
Why it matters
It highlights current trends in indie game development, specifically the focus on cooperative mechanics and creature-collection gameplay.
A new game sends players into a story of exploration and battle with a strange creature companion from a dying species.
The adventure launches into Early Access today (14 July 2026).
The story begins when players find the last Henki, a rare shapeshifting creature that helps keep the world of Taival in balance. Together, they travel across the world to recover the shattered fragments of the creature’s lost heritage.
Henki forms the centre of the adventure. As players encounter creatures across the world, the companion can absorb their essence and shift into new forms. Each form brings different uses in combat and exploration, from a hulking beast that absorbs damage to a swift mount that scales cliffsides and a predator that attacks from the shadows.
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