The precision-platformer is a torturous genre at the best of times, and now developers Brlka and publishers Ysbryd Games have seen fit to combine it with Silent Hill. Their forthcoming Love Eternal is the story of Maya, a girl whisked off to a “castle built of bitter memories” by a weird, lonely god, and obliged to make her way “through over 100 screens filled with spikes, lasers, switches, and traps”.
When not getting spiked or lasered, Maya appears to spend her days in a kind of metaphorical suburban household. Here, she will contend with things like people crawling on the ceiling and coming over all John Carpenter’s The Thing. Maya does have one thing going for her: the ability to reverse gravity. Here’s a brand new trailer.
Commendably harrowing, yes? Celeste meets Silent Hill is one framing – Gris but grimdark is another. I already know I’m going to struggle with those puzzles, but I’m very curious about the setting, which reminds me a little of Void Stranger’s bottomless sokoban-scape. I also like the treacherousness of the presentation, with larger animated sprites suddenly louring into view during the hop-and-bop sequences. I like it up to a point, anyway. If the game does the fourth-wall peekaboo routine every time I have to carry out six mid-air gravity flips in a row, I am going to get Cross.
Here’s a rundown of features from the Steam page.
Gorgeous hand-drawn pixel art graphics bring the god’s realm to life alongside meticulously handcrafted animations boasting many thousands of frames
A lush, atmospheric score, equal parts unsettling and beautiful
Responsive, snappy controls provide challenges with a sense of mastery and acrobatic accomplishment
A psychological horror narrative contorts and unfolds to reveal choices beyond comprehension
Love Eternal is out in 2025. For pretty much the exact tonal opposite of this, may I recommend Ed’s recent favourite Stardust Demon? Fans of bizarro 2D games are eating well this October.