- An action adventure where you master 8 elements including fire, water, lightning, and wind while conquering 8 temples
- Five years of passion from a self-taught solo developer, launched simultaneously across all platforms following Kickstarter funding.
Indie studio AnKae Games based in Barcelona, Spain, and publisher Top Hat Studios simultaneously released the elemental magic top-down adventure ‘Elementallis’ on PC (Steam, GOG), Nintendo Switch, PS4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on April 28.
This work, which started as a personal project in late 2019 and was released to the world through Kickstarter funding, is the debut work of self-taught engineer and developer Iván Ruiz Lozano, filled with about six years of passion.
The game is a top-down action adventure that combines combat involving the free combination of elemental magic with a Metroidvania structure where the scope of exploration expands as abilities grow. It depicts a journey of traversing eight biomes and temples, tackling puzzles and bosses, and restoring a world shattered by runaway elements. It is characterized by a narrative that begins with guilt and leads to self-healing, harmonizing with retro-style pixel art.
The elements ran wild, a journey to heal the world while burdened with guilt
The stage of Elementalis is It is a world called Elregir, composed of eight regions, each harboring a unique element. Various elements such as fire, water, ice, earth, nature, electricity, wind, and ether have been maintained in balance by spirits, but due to the protagonist’s actions, the elements run wild, and the elementalists end up becoming figures who bear the brunt of the people’s condemnation.
The player embarks on a journey to restore people’s negative perception of mages and reconnect the world with the elemental spirits. Driven by guilt, the story unfolds as the player walks a path of self-discovery, culminating in a thoughtful narrative that speaks of inner healing beyond a simple adventure.
Exploration structure combining elemental combat and Metroidvania
Elementalis is based on a Metroidvania structure where the scope of exploration expands according to your abilities. You start from the center of the map and can freely choose your direction; blocked areas open up whenever you acquire a new element, offering plenty of fun in repeated exploration.
Each region features a unique temple, inside which environmental puzzles utilizing elemental abilities, combat, and boss battles unfold. The real-time combat system, based on a sword and shield that allow for the free combination of elemental magic, demands strategic thinking to identify enemy weaknesses and leverage elemental synergies.
Pixel art where retro and modern coexist, and a soundtrack that comes alive in every region
The game’s pixel art-based visuals are characterized by a modern reinterpretation of the classic game aesthetic. In particular, Steam reviews highlighting how the atmosphere evokes nostalgia among genre fans, reminiscent of classic titles like *The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past*, are drawing attention. One user shared their impression of the game, stating, “It feels like I’ve returned to my happiest childhood at age eleven, when I was playing the Zelda series.”
Elementalis features unique background music tailored to the atmosphere of each region, with the desert region’s soundtrack being particularly impressive. The concise and crisp sound effects of breaking objects such as jars, grass, and crystals also add to the tactile satisfaction of the gameplay. The retro aesthetic, reinterpreted with a modern sensibility, offers both nostalgia to genre fans and a sense of freshness to players new to the game.
A former engineer’s self-taught love letter to classic adventures
AnKae Games is an indie game development studio based in Barcelona, Spain, founded by Iván Ruiz Lozano, a self-taught developer and former engineer.
It is characterized by establishing a unique development philosophy that combines stable system design based on technology-centric thinking with a love for classic action adventures. In particular, it prioritizes intuitive controls and the fun of exploration, focusing on reinterpreting the sensibilities found in past masterpieces in a modern way.
‘Elementalis’ is a personal project that began in late 2019 as an homage and love letter to classic adventure games. Development then gained full-scale support from players worldwide through Kickstarter crowdfunding, and the game’s quality was elevated through years of iterative improvements and content expansion.
Another feature is the active incorporation of community feedback throughout the development process. The close communication characteristic of indie development played a crucial role in refining the game’s direction and overall quality.
Combining the sensibility of classic adventure with modern design, ‘Elementalis’ is a work that weaves elemental magic, exploration, and inner healing into a single flow.
It remains to be seen what impression this debut title, which embodies the developer’s dedication over approximately six years, will leave on users who love retro aesthetics as well as players looking for a new adventure.
Information regarding Elementallis
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | AnKae Games (Ivan Luis Lozano) |
| Publisher | Top Hat Studios, Inc. |
| Genre | Top-down Action Adventure / Elemental Magic / Metroidvania |
| Release platform | PC (Steam, GOG) / Nintendo Switch / PS4·5 / Xbox One·Series X|S |
| Release date | April 28, 2026 |
| price | $17.99 USD (15% off for launch) |
| Development period | Late 2019 ~ 2026 (approx. 6 years) |
| Funding | Kickstarter crowdfunding |
| Main Content | 8 Biomes / 8 Temples / 8 Elements / Real-time Combat |
| Source of inspiration | The Legend of Zelda series, Resident Evil, Silent Hill |
| Main Keywords | Pixel art, retro, top-down, elemental magic, puzzle, boss battle, self-discovery |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
| GOG page | Shortcut |
