While localization is typically linked with text-heavy games, The Lullaby of Life demonstrates that even games with minimal dialogue can greatly benefit from thoughtful, carefully crafted globalization. This case study explores how Midwest Games, 1 Simple Game, and Terra partnered up to bring this cozy musical adventure to players worldwide.
About The Lullaby of Life
Developed by 1 Simple Game, The Lullaby of Life invites players to navigate a mesmerizing musical world. The goal is to guide a small being through different environments, solving puzzles, and bringing life to the world around them using sound. The game’s gentle atmosphere and text-light content make the experience relaxing, yet immersive. However, localizing a game like this one, where the primary storytelling device is music, still presented a set of unique challenges.
The Challenge of Localizing a Text-Light Game
After all, how do you ensure that a few carefully chosen words hold the same weight across multiple languages and cultures? The answer lies in the details, as The Lullaby of Life shows us with its minimal text but emotionally rich experience. Our team had to ensure that the few words in the game – like the title, menus, and UI – carried the same emotional weight across all languages.
In particular, the transcreation of the game’s title stood out as an essential task. Different languages required unique approaches to preserve the calm and whimsical feeling conveyed in the original title. Melisa Ilari, business development manager at Terra, shared how our linguists carefully crafted multiple title options. Each version came with detailed descriptions that outlined its thought process, ensuring that the developers could make informed choices based on cultural resonance.
Crafting Global Titles that Resonate
This process involved close collaboration between Terra’s linguists and the localization producer at Midwest Games, ensuring each transcreated title reflected the cultural nuances and preferences of its target audience while maintaining the essence of the original name. To help them make an educated choice, each proposed title was accompanied by a detailed descriptive text, explaining the rationale behind the wording and how it aligned with the tone of the game.
But how do you maintain the essence of a game in a title when transforming it across languages? Franco Forgiarini, Operations Coordinator of this project, shares a few title examples crafted for different regions:
Chinese:
- Option 1: 生命的摇篮曲 – A direct translation of the title, with the option to remove the character 的 for simplicity.
- Option 2: 生命回响 – “Echoes of Life,” aligning with the game’s mechanics of using music to interact with the environment.
- Option 3: 跃动摇篮曲 / 跃动回响 – This version leans towards the “movement” aspect of life, making it feel more dynamic.
Japanese:
- Option 1: 生命のララバイ – A straightforward translation of The Lullaby of Life.
- Option 2: ぼんぼ～生命の冒険 – Incorporating the character name “Bombo” and adding the subtitle “Adventure of a Life,” this version resonates better with the Japanese market.
- Option 3: ぼんぼの子守歌 – 生命の旅 – “Bombo’s Lullaby – A Life’s Journey,” which adds “lullaby” to the title, making it easier to remember and register.
Korean:
- Option 1: 럴러바이 오브 라이프 – A transliterated version of the English title, reflecting the preference in Korea for stylish transliterations, commonly seen in AAA games.
- Option 2: 생명의 자장가 – A literal translation, but the serious tone struggles to capture the game’s vibrant and charming atmosphere.
- Option 3: 생명의 노래 – Translating the title as “The Song of Life,” this version infuses more vitality and captures the gentle and melodic tone of the game.
Russian:
- Option 1: Колыбельная жизни – A literal translation that sounds natural to Russian speakers.
- Option 2: Колыбель жизни – Translating to “The Cradle of Life,” this title emphasizes the game’s theme of creation.
- Option 3: Мелодия жизни – “The Melody of Life,” which ties in perfectly with the musical puzzles of the game.
Amplifying Impact with Concise Words
Though the text in The Lullaby of Life may be minimal, its cultural adaptation had a significant impact on its reception. Rebecca Denney, localization producer at Midwest Games, emphasized the value of working with us to achieve a smooth and efficient process.
“We are a publisher that prioritizes quality and diverse representation in the industry. But because we are a startup, we also need extra support in making data-informed strategic decisions. This is why we chose Terra as our LSP. Everyone I’ve worked with at Terra Localizations has made my job so much easier. The fact that they’re a one-stop shop saves me the hassle of coordinating between multiple LSPs for each language and project. After launching our first game, The Lullaby of Life, with Terra’s work, we immediately received player feedback asking if the game was made in their local language, which is the best feedback we could possibly hope for!”
This feedback underscores the importance of localizing even minimal text. In the end, it’s the small details that create an engaging, culturally relevant experience for players around the world.
Honoring the Localization Team
Another aspect that stood out during this project was the publisher’s commitment to recognizing everyone involved in the process. From the very beginning, they requested the names of all linguists and team members so they could be credited in the game. This level of appreciation is often rare, as many localization teams work behind the scenes without any visibility for their contributions.
“From the first moment, they asked for the names of all the linguists, and everyone involved to include in the credits. It’s very refreshing to work with a company that truly values the recognition of everyone who contributed,” Melisa noted.
This acknowledgment further reinforced the strong collaboration between the developer, publisher, and our team, leading to a shared sense of accomplishment.
The Takeaway
The Lullaby of Life’s journey to success in global markets proves the importance of thoughtful, strategic global adaptation. The game’s minimalistic approach didn’t diminish the importance of localization – in fact, it magnified the need for precise and culturally adapted choices. Through open communication, detailed transcreation, and a mutual respect for the process, we ensured that the essence of this beautiful game was preserved across languages and cultures.