From its monochrome art style, to its mechanics and sound design, the upcoming 2D adventure game Minit is worth getting excited for.
Originally revealed last year, the game recently received a firm launch date as well as a new trailer via publisher Devolver Digital. The trailer shows the charming homage to classic handheld gaming in motion. It also teased enough to make Minit worth a look. Whether you’re a fan of Game Boy-era games or just good titles in general the trailer won’t disappoint.
An Adventure Out of Time
The game’s premise is simple. A strange sword found on the shore outside their house leaves players stricken with a curse. The oddly specific curse forces them to return to the last place they rested after one minute. In order to break the curse, they must do as much as they can in 60 second bursts. That means every action, from assisting NPC’s to attempting to solve a dungeon’s puzzle has a strict time limit.
Minit treats players to art and design elements straight out of the early 90’s. The world and its inhabitants are portrayed in a classic 8-to-16-bit aesthetic. Animations are kept simple and character designs are locked to a black and white color scheme. This is accompanied by a catchy bit tune score that would be right at home in most any title of generations past. Easily cycling from calm and melodic one moment to energetic the next.
It’s a real triumph, considering the team behind it is composed of only four developers: Jan Willem Nijman, the co founder of Nuclear Throne developer, Vlambeer; Kitty Calis, who contributed to the recent PlayStation 4 hit, Horizon Zero Dawn; Jukio Kallio, a freelance video game music composer; and Dominik Johann, the art director of Crows Crows Crows, a studio dedicated to experimental games.
If this sounds up your alley, then look forward to Minit’s full release, scheduled for April 3 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. For more about the game, you can head over to the game’s official website.
For another game with a hefty dose of love and nostalgia, check out our game of the month coverage of Into the Breach. This challenging tactical RPG offers inspiration from mechs of years past.