California-based studio Resonator’s upcoming indie Anew: The Distant Light proffers a wholly immersive experience, transporting players into a sci-fi universe brimming with stunning visuals, deadly enemies, and chilling sound design — and all that, merely in its current alpha demo form. Anew: The Distant Light is a single-player title featuring a sprawling, side-scrolling open world. You play as a child that’s mysteriously fled our planet via space, and who has now woken up on a distant alien moon. An ominously missing co-pilot and a vacant suit are ready for you when you regain consciousness, and now you must explore and survive the fantastically exotic world that awaits you.
Anew: The Distant Light draws inspiration from a myriad of stellar titles, including Metroid, Limbo, and Dark Souls. Gameplay includes everything from piloting a variety of vehicles to platforming across murderous landscapes. Combat plays a heavy role, as well, as you make your way through a jungle of enemies keen on lasering you out of the sky, off the ground, or… well, wherever you happen to be when they start firing.
Even in this early demo, it’s clear the music and the art will cause this indie to rise well above the teeming crowd. It’s not easy to craft and evoke a successful sci-fi backdrop, much less so to be able to pair those visuals with sound design that complements, rather than distracts or detracts from them. Anew: The Distant Light, thus far, has proven itself ready and worthy. Anew: The Distant Light will be available on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One, but a release date has yet to be announced. Keep a careful, and hopeful, eye on their Twitter for any upcoming updates.
Game Pilgrim 