Rakuen

About

Rakuen follows a hospitalized child who asks his mother to take him to a whimsical fantasy world from his storybook. There he meets magical versions of his fellow patients each trapped by personal regrets and unspoken grief. The boy must guide them through emotional challenges by solving environmental puzzles and making choices that reflect their deepest needs. Combat is absent in favor of quiet dialogue and symbolic interactions that gradually reveal connections between the fantasy realm and their real-world struggles. The game stands out for its gentle storytelling and hauntingly human characters. Each patient’s subplot is brief but resonant with moments that feel earned rather than forced. Developer Laura Shigihara crafts a world where fantasy isn’t an escape but a mirror for healing. Though its runtime is short Rakuen lingers long after the credits with a poignant message about empathy and shared pain.

Storyline

Rakuen is an adventure game about a little Boy who lives in the hospital. One day, the Boy asks his Mom to escort him to the fantasy world from his favorite storybook, so that he can ask the Guardian of the Forest to grant him one wish. In order to receive his wish, the Boy must complete a set of challenges that revolve around helping his neighbors in the hospital by interacting with their alter-egos in the fantasy world... ...A cranky old man who guards a broken music box with his life while complaining that he never gets any visitors; a young woman in a coma whose husband hasn’t left her side in months; a little girl who laments over a friend she was never able to say goodbye to after growing ill… The Boy slowly begins to realize that his neighbors are plagued by secrets and struggles that are mysteriously tied to the strange hospital.