Bradley the Badger Revealed as a Surreal 3D Platformer from Former Mario Rabids and Red Dead Redemption Developers
One of the standout surprises during The Game Awards 2025 pre show came from Day 4 Night, a studio composed of Davide Soliani and several former developers behind Mario Rabids and Red Dead Redemption. Their new project Bradley the Badger was unveiled with a visually striking and genre bending trailer, featuring Hollywood actor Evan Peters in the lead role. Positioned as “a love letter to games” according to its official Steam page the title immediately captured audience attention with its surreal tone and ambitious creative direction.
At its core, Bradley the Badger casts players as a determined badger navigating a vibrant world reminiscent of PlayStation 2, original Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube era platformers. What begins as a charming, family friendly adventure quickly becomes something entirely different. The world abruptly distorts into a dark, Soulslike nightmare evoking elements of Bloodborne. Moments later, visual and gameplay shifts propel players into a cyberpunk sci fi setting, followed by a bleak, overgrown world that channels the atmosphere of The Last of Us.
The reveal trailer, available through the official YouTube release teases a bold blend of mechanics and styles. Players appear able to interact with unfinished game assets that can be manipulated or repurposed, adding a meta design twist. Other sequences resemble ability possession mechanics similar to Mario’s signature cap throw in Super Mario Odyssey allowing Bradley to commandeer objects or creatures for traversal and puzzle solving.
The trailer signals a game with significant creative ambition possibly one of the most innovative and experimental 3D platformers in years. While Day 4 Night has not yet announced a release date or confirmed additional platforms, Bradley the Badger is officially coming to PC with more details expected in the future as the project continues to evolve.
Does Bradley the Badger look like the next big experimental platformer to you? Which of its genre shifting moments caught your attention the most?
