Earthblade

Last updated

Earthblade
Earthblade, Steam store, Dec 2022.jpg
Developer(s) Extremely OK Games
Publisher(s) Extremely OK Games
Platform(s) Windows
ReleaseCanceled
Genre(s) Action, platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Earthblade was a Metroidvania platform video game in development by Extremely OK Games. It was intended to be an exploration-action and platformer video game, featuring an art style similar to the studio's previous game, Celeste . Its development began in 2019 and was first publicly announced in 2021. The game's footage was showcased at The Game Awards 2022, which was positively received by reviewers.

Contents

The game was initially set to be released in 2023, though the game was re-scheduled for 2024 instead at The Game Awards 2022. In January 2025, the studio announced that the game had been canceled, citing the dispute over intellectual property rights of Celeste and struggles with development as some of the reasons.

Gameplay

Earthblade was developed as a two-dimensional exploration-action platformer featuring pixel art-styled graphics. [1] [2] [3] Its genre and art style were similar to the developer's previous game, Celeste (2018). [4] The open world game also subscribed to the adventure, especially the Metroidvania subgenre, and fantasy genres. [2] [3] [5] [6] The player was supposed to control the character Névoa, who had recently returned to a ruined Earth, as they explore the world, dash between platforms, climb terrain, and fight enemies. [4] [6] [7]

Development

Earthblade was in development by the indie studio Extremely OK Games. [8] [9] The game was present on Steam and was set to be released for Windows platforms. [6] [8] The development began in 2019, though it was first publicly announced in April 2021, when the studio also released fragments of its soundtrack composed by Lena Raine. [1] [10] [11] The game's logo was designed by Pedro Medeiros. [10] "When we started working again, we had this urge to run as far away from Celeste as possible", developer Maddy Thorson said. The studio later agreed to include elements of Celeste. [12]

Upon the game's first announcement, the studio first announced the game to be potentially released in 2023, though Thorson said that the game's development "could take longer". [1] [13] Playtesting of the game began in April 2022. [14] Thorson said that the studio would playtest the game each month and hoped to release the game in 2023. [5] [8] Thorson later showcased the first footage of Earthblade at The Game Awards 2022, where it was announced that the game would be released in 2024 instead. [6] [15] The studio announced in March 2024 that the game would be released after 2024, with Thorson adding that the development of the game had not become dormant. [16] In the same announcement, the studio announced that indie developer Kyle Pulver, who previously worked on Super Meat Boy Forever and Offspring Fling , joined the game's development team as a designer. [7] [16] [17]

The studio announced in January 2025 that the game had been canceled, citing the dispute over intellectual property rights of Celeste, the loss of a studio member, and the struggle to continue development as reasons. [18] [19] The studio also announced that they would go back to working on "smaller-scale projects". [20]

Reception

Chris Moyse of Destructoid praised the game's music and looks, as seen in the game's footage at The Game Awards 2022. [6] Shubhankar Parijat of GamingBolt also praised the game's looks in the trailer. [21]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Gerblick, Jordan (April 20, 2021). "Celeste Studio Announces Earthblade, a 2D Pixel Art 'Explor-Action Game'". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Earthblade". IGN . Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Rowe, Willa (March 28, 2024). "Earthblade, The Next Game from Celeste Devs, Has Been Delayed". Kotaku . Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Clark, Nicole (December 8, 2022). "Celeste Creator's Newest Project Earthblade Pairs Platforming with Slashing". Polygon . Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Murray, Sean (April 14, 2022). "Celeste Developer's New Game Has Entered Playtesting Phase". TheGamer . Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Moyse, Chris (December 9, 2022). "Earthblade Is the Mythic New Adventure from Celeste Developer". Destructoid . Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Yang, George (March 29, 2024). "Celeste Developer's Next Game Earthblade Delayed Out of This Year". GameSpot . Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Chaik, Andy (March 28, 2024). "Earthblade, the Next Game From the Makers of Towerfall and Celeste, 'Ain't Coming Out in 2024". PC Gamer . Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  9. ↑ Damian, Arthur (December 9, 2022). "Earthblade Reveals Gameplay as New Game from Celeste Dev, Launches 2024". The Escapist . Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Peters, Jay (April 19, 2021). "Celeste developer Teases Next Game with a 'Vibe Reveal'". The Verge . Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  11. ↑ Carcasole, David (December 9, 2022). "Platformer Earthblade Revealed From The Makers Of Celeste". PlayStation Universe. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  12. ↑ Bea, Robin (September 15, 2023). "Maddy Thorson on Celeste as a Trans Icon, the Evolution of Indies, and Her Next Game". Inverse . Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  13. ↑ Shaw, Luke (April 20, 2021). "'Celeste' Dev Reveals Teaser for New Game 'Earthblade'". NME . Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  14. ↑ Cryer, Hirun (April 14, 2022). "Celeste Dev's New Game Aims for a 2023 Launch". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  15. ↑ Moon, Mariella (December 8, 2022). "'Earthblade' is the Next Game from the Team Behind 'Celeste'". Engadget . Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  16. 1 2 Jarvis, Matt (March 29, 2024). "Celeste Creators' Next Game Earthblade Won't Be Out This Year, but Studio Assure Development Is "Not Stagnant"". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  17. ↑ Norman, Jim (March 28, 2024). "Celeste Creator's Next Game 'Earthblade' Gets Delayed, Will No Longer Release In 2024". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on June 2, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  18. ↑ Romano, Sal (January 22, 2025). "Earthblade Canceled". Gematsu. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  19. ↑ Kim, Matt (January 22, 2025). "Celeste Teams' Next Game, Earthblade, Canceled". IGN . Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  20. ↑ Peters, Jay (January 22, 2025). "Celeste Developers Cancel Follow-Up Game Earthblade". The Verge . Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  21. ↑ Parijat, Shubhankar (December 9, 2022). "Celeste Developer's New Game, Earthblade, Looks Gorgeous in Debut Trailer". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
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