- Brazilian indie developer Startera Studios differentiates itself with a cancel-based combat system
- Shifting development direction from Metroidvania to Roguelite… Focusing on the ‘feel’ of action and combat
- Seamlessly chaining attacks with jumps and dashes… An action roguelite packed with fighting game know-how
Brazilian indie game developer Statera Studio has released a free demo version of its new pixel art action roguelite title ‘Garden Souls’ on Steam and unveiled a new gameplay trailer.
‘Garden Souls’ is a 2D side-scrolling action game featuring beautiful pixel graphics. In particular, it combines the unique characteristics of the roguelite genre with exhilarating speed and a flashy combo system, highlighting the fun of differentiated action as a core element.
This demo is characterized by its enhanced quality, achieved by actively incorporating user feedback collected during the open playtest held last September. A large number of new environmental elements have been added, and some story content offering a glimpse into the game’s core narrative has also been included.
Four Garden Princesses Who Save the World of Fallen Flowers
The player chooses one of the four Garden Princesses and explores the flower world ‘Mandragora’ where corruption is spreading.
Each area in the game is designed to feature new enemies every time through procedural generation. Players will encounter shops and special events during exploration and must engage in fierce battles with powerful mini-bosses and main bosses.
After completing a challenge, you can return to your base to activate permanent upgrades. Through this growth process, you prepare for the next challenge while gradually uncovering the game’s in-depth worldview and hidden stories.
A cancel-based combo system incorporating fighting game development know-how
The game’s biggest feature is the combo system designed using Starterra Studios’ fighting game development know-how.
Players can spend points on the Cancel Bar to seamlessly connect an ongoing attack to other actions, such as jumping, dashing, slashing, or powerful special moves. By canceling an attack and continuing to the next action, various combos can be created, and combining attack sequences depending on the combat situation is also quite enjoyable.
Dynamic movement utilizing dashes, double jumps, and wall jumps is also a feature. It incorporates the combat feel of fighting games into side-scrolling action, such as breaking through an enemy’s defense and sending them flying against a wall, or continuing a series of attacks while the opponent is airborne.
Character progression and build components have also been provided. As you progress through the run, you can acquire Extra Strikes, six elements, flow-changing spells, and artifacts to create your own unique combat combinations.
The combat support companion system is also noteworthy. The flower companions ‘Bombogs’ fight automatically alongside the player, while ‘Strikers’ can be utilized by requesting support attacks when needed.
New title from the developer of ‘Pocket Braver’… Combining fighting game experience with roguelite
Starterra Studios is a Brazilian indie game developer founded in 2020. It developed fighting games such as ‘Pocket Bravery’ and ‘Arashi Gaiden’, and boasts pixel art, distinctive character designs, and sophisticated combat systems as its strengths.
The developer also mentioned that ‘Pocket Braver’ has been nominated for The Game Awards 2023. For this title as well, the direction is to leverage their existing development experience based on pixel art, detailed animation, and high-quality action. According to the Steam page, publishing is being handled by Nuntius Games and Vsoo Games.
According to a report by the Brazilian media outlet Einerd, ‘Garden Souls’ initially began development as a Metroidvania but shifted direction to a Roguelite during production. Experience gained from developing fighting games influenced this change, and the cancel system, which allows players to cancel attacks and transition into other actions, was also developed during this process.
While changing genres, the game essentially centers on the developer’s strength: the combat system. The combination of repetitive exploration and character growth with the unique combo mechanics of fighting games forms the identity of ‘Garden Souls’.
Surpassing 10,000 Wishlist Items, Console Version Also Under Development
‘Garden Souls’ was first introduced through previews by overseas media last July. Generation Amiga evaluated it as a game with a clear goal of making every battle ‘feel-good’ in the saturated action roguelite market.
The media pointed out that the combat system is the biggest appeal, and the key is whether the four princesses, despite having different styles, can all achieve a similar level of polish. They also positively noted that the focus was on enhancing the quality of combat based on a clear direction rather than redefining the genre.
‘Garden Souls’ is currently under development for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. According to the developer, store pages for platforms other than Nintendo have been opened, allowing users to add items to their wishlists. The Steam version supports interfaces and subtitles in 10 languages, including Korean.
Information regarding ‘Garden Souls’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Statera Studio |
| Publisher | Nuntius Games, Vsoo Games |
| Genre | 2D Action Roguelite, Platformer |
| platform | PC (Steam, Windows), PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch currently in development |
| Release date | Undecided |
| Trial version | Free Steam demo available |
| Reactions/Evaluations | Over 10,000 items on the wishlist (developer announcement), no Steam user reviews |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
