Elden Pixels, the studio/publisher behind Cathedral and theAlwa’sseries recently announced its latest project, a 2D puzzle platformer titled “A Void Hope” during the Guerrilla Collective 2023 digital showcase. Appearing to focus on delivering a thick atmosphere and an intriguing story, the game was revealed to eventually be coming to the PC and Switch. No release window was described, but those interested will be able totry a demoduring Steam Next Fest from June 19to June 26.
The story of A Void Hope will follow a couple in search of a cure for a mysterious ailment that’s afflicting practically everyone in their city. The exact nature of the illness has not yet been specifically described, but it seems to have something to do with memory. A major aspect of progressing the couple’s journey appears to be unearthing memories and dealing with their potential implications.
In a world that’s described as a “place where everything is slipping away” though, can any revelation be truly earth-shaking? Residents are hollowing into mere shells of their former selves as they slowly lose their memories, and the city itself seems to be on the verge of collapse as a result.
Heavy atmosphere and exploration are both seemingly important aspects of A Void Hope’s gameplay experience. Elden Pixels teamed up with synthwave artist Waveshaper for the game’s soundtrack, and it sounds like much of the city will be freely explorable. Players will apparently be able to find and enter buildings at their leisure, solve puzzles, overcome platforming challenges and gather items vital for either story progression or further insight.
Mikael Forslind, CEO & Creative Director at Elden Pixels said, “We really hope people enjoy our appropriately mysterious first trailer for A Void Hope and I can’t wait for everyone to get to try it for themselves on June 19th when we release a demo for the game at Steam Next Fest.” He also assured fans of all their previous games that this is the company’s most ambitious title thus far.
Unreliable memory can be a tricky think for games to hang their narratives on, but it is nonetheless a very compelling device when used well.Silent Hill 2,Observationandthe Amnesia gamesare all prime examples of this. Come to think of it, so isDead Space. If any of those games were interesting, perhaps this one will be too. If nothing else, it should be worth a try, right?
