Veteran game designer Greg Johnson has long been celebrated for his zany grooves and quirky gameplay mechanics. Definitive creations of the 90s like Sega Genesis ToeJam and Earl to sincere oddities like Doki-Doki Universehis work often blurs the lines between genre labels and conventions. However, his latest project, Dancing with the ghostsmarks something deeper and more personal for its independent game studio, HumaNature Studios. With his final game, Johnson and his team are ask for help from fans via Kickstarter to move away from funk and cosmic eggplant and immerse players in a tender story of heartbreak, guilt, and the healing power of connection, akin to the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.
In a video interview with CBR, Johnson revealed how the project was inspired by his own experiences of loss and rebuilding, and how that emotional gravity shaped both the narrative and the game’s design. He explains how a life sim with warm village rhythms and narrative mechanics can bear the weight of real grief without becoming silly, and why he thinks games are uniquely positioned to help us sit with grief and getting through it. With Dancing With Ghosts, Johnson invites players not just to play a game, but to share a story of healing.
ToeJam & Earl creator has ‘always been a huge Miyazaki fan’
For Johnson, Dancing With Ghosts is more than a change in tone. it’s the realization of a lifelong creative dream. Johnson says he’s “always been a huge Miyazaki fan,” long before Studio Ghibli’s heartfelt storytelling was appreciated by mainstream audiences in the West. For decades, his office walls were covered in Ghibli posters, constant reminders of the warmth and wonder Hayao Miyazaki’s films evoke. This spirit, defined by its melancholy magic, crosses Dancing with the ghostswhere the supernatural becomes the mirror of very human emotions.
Like Miyazaki’s most beloved works, Dancing with the ghosts is less about conflict and more about connection. Its young protagonist, Mai, doesn’t fight monsters but navigates grief and guilt, learning to rediscover joy through her bond with a spectral friend. The goal is for players to feel “That was time really well spent.” » It is a philosophy that positions Dancing with the ghosts not just as another standalone adventure, but as a spiritual heir to the emotional storytelling traditions that defined Studio Ghibli classics such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor TotoroAnd When Marnie was there.
Dancing with Ghosts Has Deeply Personal Sources of Inspiration
The game stems from a deeply personal place for its creator, Greg Johnson, who weaved his own experiences of loss and healing into the narrative. Following the death of his daughter and the family’s devastation during the 2023 Lahaina Fire, Johnson sought to build something that speaks to both grief and renewal. Rather than dwelling solely on sadness, the game becomes a tribute to the light that emerges from reaching out, connecting with others, and allowing help and comfort.
At the same time, Johnson draws on his intimate connection to Thai culture, as a fluent Thai speaker, to connect with his wife’s family. The game takes place in an intimate river village in Thailand, where the main character befriends a cheerful ghost. The story reflects these themes of memory, culture, belonging and intergenerational connection. Johnson’s goal is to offer a narrative in which helping others, earning good karma, and appreciating the quiet rituals of daily life becomes meaningful in the journey of healing and growth.
Dancing with Ghosts wants you to “feel like a better person” like the Ghibli films do
In an industry often driven by spectacle, Johnson’s latest project feels like a quiet rebellion. Through painterly art direction, gentle music, and a focus on emotional authenticity, Dancing with the ghosts channels Ghibli’s timeless ideal that kindness and empathy are forms of strength. It’s the kind of game that lingers after the credits roll, reminding players, just as Miyazaki’s best stories do, that healing begins when we open ourselves to the invisible connections around us.
Even though Johnson’s past games often focus on offbeat charm like ToeJam and Earl, or tender humor like Doctor Doctor Universehe has always been attracted to games with heart. “I’ve had Ghibli posters on my walls for decades. I’ve always wanted to create that kind of warm, heartfelt coming-of-age story that makes you feel like a better person after experiencing it.”