Bokura: The Japanese Indie Game That Traveled Beyond Japan
- Brothers In Gaming
- May 27
- 14 min read
Updated: 11 hours ago
We played Bokura, one of the few recent hits from the Japanese indie gaming scene. At first glance, it may seem like a typical Japanese indie game with its 8-bit look and chibi-style characters, but its unique co-op design distinguishes it from other games in the genre.
There are not many Japanese indie games that have enjoyed international success lately.
This is surprising given the fact that some solo developers from Japan (when the term "indie" was not yet mainstream) in the late 1990s / early 2000s created games that inspired entire generations of developers, such as Earthbound (released as Mother 2 in Japan in 1994), Yume Nikki (2004), and La-Mulana (2005).
One problem related to this current lack of success can be found in artistic preferences: most of these games are 2D, with an 8-bit look, very much focused on RPG mechanics, and heavy with text. As player's preferences have evolved in the West, Japanese developers' tastes haven't changed too much, and these characteristics are still a staple mark of many Japanese indie games.
Anyway, one of the few exceptions we have seen in recent years is Bokura.
Bokura, 冬の僕ら (Fuyu no Bokura) in Japanese, is a distinctive two-player cooperative puzzle adventure game developed by Japanese solo developer ところにょり (Tokoronyori) and published by Kodansha Creators' Lab division. Some of you might have heard of Kodansha, but not in gaming - Kodansha is in fact one of the biggest manga publishers in Japan, having brought to market series such as Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, and Vagabond, that recently launched a gaming publishing label. But let's go back to Bokura. Released on August 9, 2023, the game has garnered acclaim for its innovative co-op gameplay and emotional storytelling, with a "Very Positive" rating on Steam, and it is getting very close to sell 1M copies.
The game belongs to a recent trend of co-op games, but it has its own peculiar aspects that make it more interesting that the average game in the genre. Designed exclusively for two players, Bokura requires each participant to play on a different device, which means it cannot be played as a couch co-op game on the same screen. In fact, the unique aspect of the game is that each player experiences the game differently - for example, what appears as a robot to one player might look like an animal to the other. This divergence is also reflected in the gameplay, where players need constant communication to solve puzzles and progress through the game.
This is why it caught our attention and we felt we wanted to write an article about it.
As for the developer, Tokoronyori is a solo indie developer who got recognition outside of Japan with Bokura for the first time, but he was already pretty active, having published 7 games since 2016. Most of the prior games were for iPhone only, with Bokura being the first to be on PC. You can check prior Tokoronyori's works on their website.
Tokoronyori’s games are pretty much similar to each other in terms of vibes and experiences, with the developer clearly focused on creating quiet, reflective games, often small in scope but rich in emotional depth.
We feel Bokura is the summa opera of all these works and delivers exactly what the developer was looking for. Tokoronyori explores the emotional bond between two people navigating an uncertain world—one where communication, trust, and perspective shape the entire experience. And this is exactly how we felt for the 4-5 hours it took us to beat the game.
For this article, we have mostly focused on two things. First, we analyze from a design point of view the unique characteristics of the game and why we liked it. Secondly, we also looked at some sales data to determine the success of the game and it's Early Access strategy, which is somewhat different from what most of the Western indie games have done so far. Lastly, there is a final section which gives some info on how the indie gaming world differs between the West and Japan, something we think not many people are aware of.
If you want to jump to a specific chapter, you can use the links below.
Game Design
We think that Bokura is a game that deserves the success it reached, and the reason is to be found in a unique experience, with a clever design. What makes the design unique?
This is what we try to answer in this section of the article.
Also, remember as you read the next paragraphs that the game can’t be played as a couch co-op game - one player is not supposed to see the other player's screen and what’s going on there!
!SPOILER ALERT!
The following paragraphs are full of spoilers, so if you want to play Bokura without spoiling your experience, we recommend you come back here once you’ve finished the game!
The "Two Worlds" feature
In recent years, many co-op games have embraced asymmetry, offering each player distinct gameplay mechanics - It Takes Two, for example, gives each character unique abilities that must be combined to progress. But Bokura takes this concept even further. Here, asymmetry isn’t just a feature - it’s the foundation of the entire experience. Players don’t just control different characters; they perceive entirely different worlds, from visuals to puzzle design, from storytelling to gameplay. Let's explore these aspects.
Visuals
First, let's talk about visuals.
There are two completely different visual moods depending on the character the players pick.
One player sees the world in more futuristic/decadent settings, with a darker setting in terms of color palette. Also, all the living beings look like robots, including the main characters.
The other player is in a forest setting, with a more colorful palette. Here, the living beings are all like animals. The image below represents the same game moment, but, as it can be seen, what each player sees is unique to their experience.
As we mentioned, the color palettes are completely different - but the contrast goes beyond just color. While the layout and objects remain the same, the visual mood is entirely transformed. The right image, with its soft shapes, vibrant colors, and natural elements like trees, feels warm and inviting. In contrast, the left image’s harsh concrete tones and robotic forms evoke a colder, more dystopian atmosphere. Even though both players go through the same events and narrative beats, we believe these visual differences subtly shape how each player interprets the story - and even influence the decisions they make along the way.
Gameplay
Bokura's main gameplay mechanics revolve around the players solving puzzles, where they are (usually) asked to work together and communicate to solve them.
The “Two Worlds” feature is also here the aspect that makes the experience unique. It's easier to explain with an example, so see below.
As for the paragraph on visuals, we have taken the snapshot of the same in-game moment, and show what the two player sees. But this time it's not just visual that is changing; the gameplay is directly impacted by how things look in each world. Below a table that summarizes the differences:
Forest World | Robot world | ||
1 | The tall soda can | becomes.. | a metallic cube |
2 | The character is suspended in mid-air | while | the character is walking on a platform |
3 | The dice | becomes.. | a chain to climb! |
4 | The second chain | is.. | still a chain! |
All these differences impact the gameplay. For example, the dice (#3) can be moved by the character in the forest, but if the character in the robot world tries to move it, it won’t (it’s a chain after all).
This leads to interesting puzzles that ask for an unusual way to solve them. In general, we noticed that there is a pattern that players use to solve the puzzles. The two players need to:
Communicate and explain to each other what they are seeing
Understand what each player can do in their world to help the other player
Define the sequence of actions to solve the puzzle
Execute the plan
Points 3 and 4 describe how a common puzzle game would be solved, while 1 and 2 represent what makes Bokura unique.
The difficult task of balancing a co-op puzzle game
We think all these unique mechanics also made it very difficult to balance the puzzles themselves, a task which is already pretty hard in standard puzzle games, as we mention in a previous article we wrote about Lorelei and The Laser Eyes.
The hard work in Bokura is represented by the fact that there should be a balance between how much each player does in each puzzle. If that is not carefully considered, it would lead to an imbalanced gameplay where one of the two players has more to do than the other.
And this is probably the biggest pain point of the game in terms of gameplay. While Bokura is generally well balanced, the last area could have been improved. While we were playing, we felt there were different occasions when the player in the robot world would be just waiting for things to happen, while the player in the forest would be the one doing most of the work.
As we said before, the task of balancing this type of game it’s not an easy one, but what we find interesting is that this area of the game didn’t improve after Early Access (EA after), since that was already brought up in some reviews of that version of the game.
We wonder why that didn’t change, but if we were to guess, it’s probably because the game was already in an almost finished state at the time of the EA, so there was no intention or no resources to fix this aspect of the game, although we think it is a pretty important one.
Puzzle - Communication between the player
Not all puzzles in Bokura are about seeing the same place in different ways. In some sections, the game pushes communication and trust even further by forcing players to split up entirely - making it impossible to see what the other is doing, very similarly to games like We Were Here.
For example, in the screenshot above, one player remains in an area with nine buttons, each marked with a distinct symbol. Meanwhile, the other player ventures into a tunnel where they encounter a sequence of buttons—each corresponding to one of those symbols. The only way to solve the puzzle is through clear communication: the player in the forest must describe the symbols in detail and guide their partner through the correct pressing sequence.
This is just one example, but it highlights the variety in Bokura’s puzzle design. The game continually introduces new twists, and at no point did it feel repetitive.
A standard intro to trick the players
We think the game's introduction and onboarding are exceptionally well crafted and serve as a crucial foundation for the entire experience. They ensure that the core concept - two players experiencing the same story through completely different perspectives - remains compelling all the way to the final scene.
When the game starts, the players have to pick one of the two main characters. The interesting aspects here are three:
No indication of impact: at this point, players have no idea how much their choice will affect the game. The character selection feels almost cosmetic, like picking between two outfits—there’s no hint that it will completely shape their experience
Mutual exclusivity: both players must pick different characters. This means that if they want to see the story from the other point of view, they’ll need to play the game again, which increases the replayability of the game
A clever fake-out: the opening minutes are the only time when both players see the same world. It’s a smart bit of misdirection that sets expectations - only to subvert them entirely once the characters split paths.
We think that this subtle introduction makes the core asymmetry of Bokura land with even greater impact once it’s fully revealed.
Narrative
Narrative as Gameplay - Muted scenes
One of the most interesting aspects of Bokura's design is how it blends narrative with gameplay to create a uniquely cooperative experience. Throughout the game, players encounter key characters who present them with moral dilemmas. Initially, both players are present for these conversations—but then the game deliberately separates them. At this point, they are instructed not to communicate with each other until they are reunited.
During this separation, each player experiences the event from the perspective of a different character. This means they are each receiving incomplete and possibly conflicting information. Once reunited, the game presents them with a shared decision to make, one that requires full consensus between the two players.
To reach an agreement, players must share and discuss what they saw, piece together the full story, and weigh their individual experiences. This mechanic forces real-life collaboration - it's a simple yet powerful touch that not only deepens the narrative, but also reinforces the game’s core themes.
Market Analysis
Early Access strategy
Also in terms of marketing, Bokura adopted a unique Early Access strategy, launching in EA on Steam on February 14th 2023, followed by a full release on PC and Nintendo Switch six months later on August 10th 2023.
Technically speaking, the EA release contained the full game until the ending with the same multiplayer functionalities available in the full release. There is basically no difference among the two versions. For sure, Kodansha wanted to "test the water" and see what the general reception for the game was, and once they saw that positive reviews were coming in, they proceeded and released the full game as planned. We do wonder what they would have done if reviews were not so good, since they stated since the beginning that the EA period would only last 6 months.
Moreover, the EA period was used to test out the pricing strategy.
The EA version cost $10.99, and the main difference between EA and full release is that the EA came with a Friend Pass included, meaning that two players could play together the game by purchasing the game once.
When the game exited the EA, the price went down to $5.49, but the Friend Pass became unavailable, meaning that for example we had to purchase two copies of the game to play together.
From an economic point of view we think this is a smart move, because it lowers the barrier to entry and the entry point for many players, but at the same time guarantees more money if multiple people in the same group want to play the game together. For example, if player A wanted to play the game first with player B and then also with player C, during the EA period one copy for a total of $10.99 would suffice for the group. On the other hand, after the EA period, all three players have to buy the game, for a total spend of $16.47 if player A wants to play with both player B and player C (assuming that player B doesn't "gift" their copy to player C). This is also supported by Kodansha in an article from August 2023, when they announced the stop of the Friend Pass option.
Sales Data
We have only a few data points in terms of sales to understand the success of the game, but we can say two things for sure:
The game went above any expectations
Most of the sales didn’t actually happen at launch, which is very atypical
As for the first point, it is very easy to prove. In September 2023, thus 1 month after the full release, Kodansha announced the game had sold 100,000 copies, which was the initial goal according to the developer, although we think most of the copies were initially confined to Japan.
What happened then? In May 2024, i.e., 10 months after release, the game reached 500,000 units, and then 600,000 by August of the same year. Finally, the Japanese website of Kodansha now states that the game has sold a total of 900,000 across all platforms.
Compared to the usual sales behavior, with the majority of the sales concentrated in the first month or so, Bokura experienced a big increase in attention in the first half of 2024, around 6 months after the release. This is also supported by the graph about the Steam’s follower numbers.
More precisely, something happened in January 2024, which led to a skyrocket increase of followers, by almost 300%. We can even be more precise, because the highest peak of concurrent players on Steam happened exactly on January 15th! Another very unusual aspect, since, especially for non-multiplayer games, the highest peak usually happens during the launch week.
As part of this detective work, we also wanted to mention a phrase reported in the main page of Bokura on Kodansha's website that can be translated as “[the game] gained popularity by being live shared by many streamers and Vtubers, both in Japan and abroad”.
Our guess is thus that an English-speaker streamer or content creator is at the origin of the big jump in early 2024. We have looked for data to support the statement (Twitch doesn’t seem to be the platform, since in that period views of the game are very low), but we haven’t been able to find anything 100% appropriate. If you know anything more, please reach out and let us know! We would love to know what happened that day somewhere in the social media world.
A quick overview of the indie world: West vs Japan
In this last chapter we wanted to touch a topic that we think is interesting, i.e., the differences between the indie world in the West and Japan.
We think that when reading this article, the average reader would think that Tokoronyori is a unique case, something very similar to solo-developer localthunk with Balatro, but that is not the case. Quite the opposite, almost all indie developers in Japan are solo developers.
This is a much broader topic, so we have tried to summarize the discussion into a few many areas. So, what are the main differences in the indie space between US, Europe and Japan?
Support Systems and Ecosystem
In the United States, indie developers benefit from a relatively robust ecosystem. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, development grants, game incubators, wide-reaching events such as GDC (Game Developers Conference) and multiple indie-focused publishers, provide both visibility and financial support. Indie games in the US are often treated as viable startups.
In contrast, Japan offers fewer structured support systems. Governmental or venture funding for games is rare, and until recently, indie creators had little institutional backing. However, this is slowly changing, with companies such as Playism and Kodansha's Creator's Lab helping pave the way for new voices. Also the current expansion of Steam in Japan in recent years is helping increase indie awareness and engagement in the country.
It is worth noting that although new actors are joining the scene in Japan, the business model there is still very much different from what we see here in the US. Many of the companies coming into this space are from outside of the gaming industry (not only Kodansha, recently also Shochiku, which is a very old company focused on movies and kabuki) and thus they are somewhat applying new business models to gaming. Kodansha, for example, introduced a business model directly derived from their manga publishing arm, where creators are given a fixed amount to not only write the manga, but also to "live". They are doing basically the same with indie developers, giving them a fixed amount to develop the game - the developer can technically use the money as they like.
Solo vs. Collaborative Development
Japanese indie development often has a strong solo creator tradition. Inspired by the doujin culture (self-published art and games), many developers work alone or in very small groups, driven by a personal vision. Tokoronyori, the developer of Bokura, is a quintessential example.
By contrast, in the US, collaboration is more common, even among indie teams. Cross-disciplinary teams often include writers, musicians, artists, and programmers from different locations, reflecting a more collaborative production model.
Marketing and Audience Reach
Indie developers in the US have more access to marketing resources and platforms. With a larger English-speaking audience and strong integration into streaming and influencer culture, American indies have a clearer path to international visibility.
Japanese developers often rely on X (formerly Twitter), Comiket, and niche fan communities. Steam has recently become a more important platform, but language barriers and limited localization budgets can still restrict reach.
Conclusions
Bokura is a rare example of a game where concept, mechanics, and story are all saying the same thing. The co-op design doesn’t just serve gameplay; it’s thematically loaded, reinforcing the emotional and perceptual gap between characters—and players.
It’s also a standout within the Japanese indie scene, where experimental mechanics are less common than visual or narrative flair.
We believe this kind of work could point the way forward for Japanese indie developers aiming to reach global audiences. There’s no need to abandon what makes Japanese games special - but it does require an awareness that international players may value different experiences, especially around interactivity and design.
The question is: how can Japanese creators preserve their unique sensibilities while embracing the kind of systemic innovation that resonates abroad? Bokura doesn’t offer a definitive answer, but it does offer a compelling example.
コメント