How Unreal Engine 5 indie game Beastro uses 'paper puppets' to reinvent RPG art. In this charmingly weird RPG, you're not a warrior but a chef in a peaceful village, ensuring heroes are fed with stat-enhancing meals.

The team at Timberline Studios was inspired by Chef's Table and the tactile experience of cooking, creating an environment where players can touch food and characters, even if they’re fictional monsters. Despite the fantastical ingredients, real-life influences ensure the dishes feel familiar.

Unreal Engine 5’s tools help bring this visual style to life with heightened lights and colours, and the team uses Lumen for lighting and Sequencer for animations. However, the true magic lies in the paper-puppet theatre that depicts adventures outside the village, making these experiences light-hearted and whimsical.

Beastro's art direction is a blend of painterly environments, anthropomorphic characters, and handmade puppet theatres, all coming together to offer players a diverse and flavourful experience.