It feels like it’s been a long time coming, but Metamorphosis Games and publisher Fireshine Games are officially locking a date for the action-platformer Gestalt: Steam & Cinder. Both bullets and blades will fly on May 21, 2024.
This is one that I’ve been following for years at this point, and I’m not the only one at this site who’s been impressed by it in the past. Gestalt does look like a pixel-art action-platformer, which can seem a little routine these days. But the actual play is anything but; it’s got a great mix of RPG concepts, interesting narrative hooks and art direction, and some pitch-perfect platforming to tie it all together.
Basically, there’s a lot more going on under the hood than a first glance might make you think. The story follows Aletheia, an elite mercenary in a fantasy steampunk world. Picking up quests and taking on the occassional odd-job is all part of her quest to discover what lies beneath all the steam and steel of this world.
The slicing-and-shooting combination feels fantastic though, reminding me of the Mega Man ZX series and other games that combine blaster with blade. I could go on further, but you could also just check it out for yourself. There’s a demo available on Steam right now, if you want to check out Gestalt ahead of its launch date.
After several years, I hope all of Gestalt comes together for a solid side-scrolling experience. Among the many games at the Triple-I Initiative showcase today, it’s definitely one I was happy to see reappear. We’ll see how the full game lands on May 21.
