Most action roguelites sell you on builds. Garden Souls sells you on how a combo feels in your hands. Brazilian developer Statera Studio, best known for the fighting game Pocket Bravery, has released a free Steam demo of its pixel-art action roguelite along with a new gameplay trailer. The pitch is simple: take the cancel systems that make fighting games satisfying and build a side-scrolling roguelite around them.
Garden Souls is a 2D side-scrolling action game with detailed pixel art. It pairs the structure of a roguelite with fast pacing and flashy combos, and treats that combat feel as its main selling point.
The new demo incorporates feedback gathered from a public playtest in early September. It adds new environmental elements and includes some story content that offers a glimpse of the game’s central narrative.
Four Garden Princesses and a Corrupted World of Flowers
Players choose one of four Garden Princesses and explore Mandragora, a flower world being overtaken by corruption.
Each area uses procedural generation so that new enemies appear on every run. Along the way you encounter shops and special events, and face tough mini-bosses and main bosses.
After each attempt you return to a hub to unlock permanent upgrades. That progression prepares you for the next run while gradually revealing the world’s lore and hidden story.
A Cancel-Based Combo System Built from Fighting-Game Experience
The game’s defining feature is a combo system designed with Statera Studio’s fighting-game know-how.
Players spend points from a Cancel Bar to break out of an attack in progress and flow seamlessly into another action: a jump, a dash, a slash, or a powerful special move. Canceling and chaining lets you build a wide variety of combos, and choosing the order of attacks to fit the situation is a large part of the appeal.
Movement is fluid too, built on dashes, double jumps, and wall jumps. You can break an enemy’s guard and send it flying into a wall, or launch an opponent into the air and keep the pressure going, bringing a fighting game’s sense of combat into side-scrolling action.
Character growth and build-crafting are also part of each run. Players collect Extra Strikes, six elements, Spells that change the flow of combat, and Artifacts to assemble their own combat setup.
A companion system supports the fighting. Bombogs, flower companions, fight alongside you automatically, while Strikers can be called in for assist attacks at the moment you need them.
From Metroidvania to Roguelite
Statera Studio is a Brazilian indie developer founded in 2020. It made the fighting games Pocket Bravery and Arashi Gaiden, and its strengths are pixel art, distinctive characters, and finely tuned combat. The studio notes that Pocket Bravery was a nominee at The Game Awards 2023. It plans to carry that experience into Garden Souls through pixel art, detailed animation, and polished action. According to the Steam page, the game is published by Nuntius Games and Vsoo Games.
According to Brazilian outlet Einerd, Garden Souls began development as a Metroidvania before shifting to a roguelite during production. The studio’s fighting-game background influenced that change, and the cancel system evolved during the same process.
The genre changed, but combat stayed at the center. The combination of repeated exploration and character growth with fighting-game combo construction is what gives Garden Souls its identity.
Early Previews, 10,000 Wishlists, and Console Versions
Garden Souls was first introduced through international previews in July. Generation Amiga described it as a game with a clear aim in a crowded action-roguelite market: making every fight feel good in the hands.
The outlet called the combat system the biggest draw and said the key question is whether all four princesses can offer distinct styles while reaching a similar level of polish. It also spoke positively of the decision to focus on refining combat with a clear direction rather than trying to redefine the genre.
The game is in development for PC as well as PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. According to the developer, store pages are open for wishlisting on all platforms except Nintendo. The Steam version supports interface and subtitles in 10 languages, including Korean.
Who This Is For
Strong fit for: fighting-game players who want cancel-driven combo expression outside a versus format; action-roguelite fans who prioritize moment-to-moment feel over pure build theory; pixel-art enthusiasts; players who followed Pocket Bravery and want to see the team’s take on single-player action.
Cautious fit for: anyone who needs a release date or reviews before committing, since neither exists yet; Nintendo players, as the Switch version has no store page open yet.
Less ideal for: players who prefer slow, deliberate combat or minimal execution demands; those looking for a Metroidvania, since the project moved away from that structure.
The Takeaway
Garden Souls does not try to reinvent the action roguelite. It tries to make fighting feel excellent, and the studio behind a Game Awards–nominated fighting game is a credible team to attempt it. The Cancel Bar, juggles, wall bounces, and assist calls give the combat real depth on paper. The free demo, refined from September’s playtest, is the best way to see whether it holds up.
Free demo on Steam now. Release date TBA. Console versions in development.
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 |
