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Komi Games, an independent developer from Canada, recently announced a new 2.5D run-and-gun metroidvania coming to PC (via Steam), and it will no doubt look a little familiar to fans of Mega Man X.
Gemini X is being pitched as a game "built for fans of classic 32-bit run-and-gun platformers", and is also said to contain "a vibrant stylised art style, bursting with personality" as well as "a synth-and-hard-rock soundtrack soaked in PS1-era DNA."
Its story takes place aboard a hijacked human space colony and follows a newly minted C.A.S.T.L.E. security officer, Rook, who has been attacked and left for dead, as he attempts to retake control of the colony by going into battle against the Heretechs, "a rogue faction of robotic freedom fighters."
As is typical of many Mega Man games, players will be able to tackle these bosses in any order, with victory unlocking new powers that can then be used against the remaining enemies. However, the team isn't just trying to emulate the past, hoping to build on the formula through incorporating "some non-linear exploration gameplay", which it hopes will "elevate the experience into something special."
Jason Canam, the creative director on the game, wrote on Steam, "It’s not a slavish or carbon-copy of that formula. There are wide themes we are covering, such as armour piece upgrades, animal-themed robot bosses and that iconic dash. But there are plenty of areas we are expanding on, and we’ll be diving into these details throughout development. A few members of our team have worked on the games Guacamelee! & Guacamelee! 2, in both level design and art direction, so we’re confident that the game will look and feel amazing!"
"We have an awesome roster of bosses, the Heretechs, that are carrying out a terrorist plot in the Gemini Space Colony (for which the game is named). These bosses aren’t just going to sit in boss rooms and wait for you; they’ll be travelling throughout the station, and sometimes encountering one another to accomplish their mission. The story will develop and change based on the order you take them out and how the remaining Heretechs react. This gives the Mega Man X formula some added narrative weight."
The game was unveiled during the Future Game Show last Saturday, and still seems to be some way out. Canam states, for instance, it "is still very early in development," and the only indication of when it will launch is currently a vague "2028" release date. Nevertheless, its developer has decided to begin sharing details with fans to find out whether "people out there want this game."
It has also teased that "there's already so much more" to the game than can be shown in "a 60-second trailer," and they are "excited" to share more in the future.
If you want to add Gemini X to your wishlist, here's a link to its Steam page.