TECHMASH

Tag: #puzzleplatformer

  • Mind-Bending Dimensions: ‘THANKS, LIGHT.’ is Bringing Portal-Style Shadow Puzzles to PS5 and Steam This September

    Mind-Bending Dimensions: ‘THANKS, LIGHT.’ is Bringing Portal-Style Shadow Puzzles to PS5 and Steam This September

    Puzzle fans, get your thinking caps ready. Game Source Entertainment (GSE) has officially announced that THANKS, LIGHT., a brilliant 3D portal-like puzzle-platformer, is locked in for a global release on PlayStation®5 and Steam in September 2026.

    Developed by the talented South Korean indie studio Lightersgames, this title is already turning heads in the indie community, having earned accolades at Korea’s INDIECRAFT event and a coveted spot in the Selected Indie 80 showcase at the Tokyo Game Show.

    If you’ve spent the last few years searching for a game to fill the Portal, Superliminal, or The Talos Principle shape in your heart, this might just be your next obsession.

    The Mechanic: Shift Between 2D and 3D

    At its core, THANKS, LIGHT. plays with a deceptively simple yet mind-melting mechanic: the manipulation of light, shadow, and substance. Wielding a flashlight, you explore a surreal, menacing, and beautifully minimalist complex where your perception dictates reality.

    • Shine the Light to Create 3D Mass: Pointing your light at a 2D silhouette transforms it into a tangible, physical 3D object. A flat line on the wall suddenly unfolds into a staircase or a towering pillar with mass, weight, and collision.
    • Absorb the Light to Flatten Reality: By absorbing the light, you switch physics off. A rolling boulder instantly loses its volume and freezes as a flat 2D shadow. A wall that blocked your path suddenly becomes a flat surface you can bypass entirely.

    As you dive deeper into its 3-chapter, 60+ stage campaign, the rules escalate. You’ll soon find yourself juggling mirrors that duplicate objects, lenses that resize structures, and merging mechanics that fuse entirely different forms together.

    “Like Portal and The Talos Principle, this game features solid puzzle mechanics that enable interaction with distant objects.” > — Jeep Barnett, Former Valve Portal Developer

    A World That Watches You Solve It

    The game takes place in an eerie, liminal space built by an enigmatic entity known as the “Administrator.” The aesthetic flows beautifully from pristine marble museums to corporate offices that repeat just a little too often, eventually fracturing into a glitch-laced, black-and-white space where reality leaks through the walls.

    Worse yet? You aren’t entirely alone. There are things hiding in the shadows, and the architecture itself feels alive, watching your every move.

    Play the Demo Right Now

    Can’t wait until September 2026? You don’t have to. Lightersgames recently rolled out a major content expansion for their free playable Steam demo. The updated demo includes a first look at Chapter 3, freshly optimised gameplay, and an immersive new soundtrack to get you entirely lost in the atmosphere.

    Head over to Steam, add it to your wishlist, and start training your brain for the full release this autumn.

    Game Details

    • Title: THANKS, LIGHT.
    • Developer: Lightersgames
    • Publisher: Game Source Entertainment (GSE)
    • Platforms: PlayStation®5, PC (Steam)
    • Release Date: September 2026
    • Genre: 3D Puzzle-Platformer / First-Person Adventure

    Find out more here

    #IndieGames #GamingNews #ThanksLight #PS5 #SteamGames #PuzzlePlatformer #GSE #Lightersgames #PortalLike #TechMash

  • Metal Hearts & Pastel Skies: Why Lost in Tandem is the Cosy Post-Apocalypse We Need

    Metal Hearts & Pastel Skies: Why Lost in Tandem is the Cosy Post-Apocalypse We Need

    The post-apocalypse is usually painted in shades of gritty grey, rusted brown, and existential dread. But every now and then, an indie developer comes along and reminds us that the end of the world can also be beautiful, heartfelt, and deeply colourful.

    Enter Lost in Tandem, a gorgeous new 2D adventure-puzzle game that swaps out grim survivalism for a vibrant journey of friendship, teamwork, and hope.

    If you’ve been looking for a game that gives you all the warm, fuzzy feelings of a Studio Ghibli film mixed with clever, brain-teasing mechanics, this needs to be at the top of your wishlist.

    The Oddest, Sweetest Duo in the Wasteland

    At the absolute core of Lost in Tandem is its characters. You play as a young, resilient girl navigating the remnants of a collapsed civilisation. She’s bright, resourceful, and completely alone—until she stumbles upon a “Mech-ute.”

    What is a Mech-ute? Think of a giant, rusted piece of industrial machinery that somehow has the soul and curiosity of a stray puppy. This lost, oversized robot can’t survive without her guidance, and she certainly won’t survive the wilderness without its heavy-duty assistance.

    Instead of fighting off hordes of mutants, your main objective is to help this duo understand each other, bond, and safely navigate a world that is as dangerous as it is breathtaking.

    Two Characters, One Brain: The Puzzle Mechanics

    Lost in Tandem isn’t just a walking simulator; it’s a brilliant puzzle-platformer that forces you to think in, well, tandem.

    Because our protagonist and her Mech-ute partner have completely different physical abilities, every environment is an environmental riddle.

    • The Girl is nimble, small, and able to squeeze into tight spaces, flip switches, and scout ahead.
    • The Mech-ute is the muscle. It can lift heavy debris, withstand environmental hazards, and act as a literal stepping stone for its smaller friend.

    The puzzles require you to constantly switch perspectives or control both characters simultaneously to manipulate the environment. It creates a beautiful ludonarrative resonance—the more you learn to coordinate their controls, the closer the two characters grow in the story.

    A World Painted in Pastel Hope

    Visually, Lost in Tandem is a feast for the eyes. Nature has reclaimed the ruins of the old world, draping collapsed skyscrapers in neon flora and filling toxic valleys with shimmering, bioluminescent mist. The art style leans heavily into rich, saturated pastel palettes that make every single screenshot look like a concept art painting.

    Complementing the visuals is a sweeping, emotional acoustic soundtrack that perfectly captures the bittersweet nature of their journey. It’s a melancholic yet comforting atmosphere that invites you to take your time and soak it all in.

    Why You Should Care

    In a gaming landscape often dominated by high-stress battle royales and stressful survival games, Lost in Tandem feels like a breath of fresh, post-apocalyptic air. It’s a story about connection in a disconnected world, proving that even when everything else falls apart, companionship can keep us put together.

    Keep your eyes glued to TechMash for more updates, release dates, and gameplay reveals for this indie gem.

    Are you ready to find your way back home? Lost in Tandem is shaping up to be an unforgettable emotional journey.

    Source – https://s.team/a/3846580

    #Gaming #IndieGames #LostInTandem #CozyGames #PuzzlePlatformer

  • Copy, Paste, and Break the Rules: Yerba Buena is Out Now on PC, PS5, and Xbox!

    Copy, Paste, and Break the Rules: Yerba Buena is Out Now on PC, PS5, and Xbox!

    If you’ve ever looked at a glitchy background character in an open-world game and wondered what their life is like, your next gaming obsession has arrived. Focus Entertainment and developer Mad About Pandas have officially dropped Yerba Buena, and it’s available to play right now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

    Set against a surreal, stylised backdrop of 1970s San Francisco, this isn’t your average indie puzzle-platformer. It’s a reality-bending trip that flips traditional game mechanics right on their head.

    From Nobody to Main Character

    In Yerba Buena, you step into the retro boots of Barb, a young woman who discovers she is actually just an NPC trapped inside an abandoned, unfinished video game production. When a sinister plot, a rogue biker gang, and a spreading digital glitch threaten her beloved city, Barb has to break out of her background programming and become the main character she was never meant to be.

    Master the Ultimate “Copy-and-Paste” Mechanic

    What truly sets this title apart is its mind-melting physics weapon: The Oscillator.

    Instead of just jumping over obstacles, you get to rewrite the rules of the environment using a literal “Copy and Paste” mechanic. See a trampoline? Copy its bouncing properties and paste them onto a concrete block to launch yourself to the next tier. Need to cross a massive gap? Scan a passing car, copy its horizontal movement vector, and paste it onto a literal apartment building to slide it across the street.

    The game encourages you to stack properties, experiment, and break the map to find your own solutions. It’s a bit like Portal met a funky 1970s sci-fi zine, and we are absolutely here for it.

    Play It Today

    Yerba Buena is available now for $24.99 / £19.99. If you played the recent Steam demo, you’re in luck—all of your progression carries right over to the full game.

    Whether you’re looking for a fresh brain-teaser or just want to hurl a few buildings around a retro San Francisco, grab your controller or mouse and dive in today.

    Give Us Your Thoughts!

    Are you ready to take control of Barb and hack the system? Let us know in the comments below what crazy combinations you’ve cooked up with the Oscillator!

    Source – https://www.focus-entmt.com/fr/games/yerba-buena#shop

    #YerbaBuena #IndieGames #GamingNews #PuzzlePlatformer #TechMash

  • From Passion Project to Paris Games Week: The Rise of Secrets of the Burrow

    From Passion Project to Paris Games Week: The Rise of Secrets of the Burrow

    In the fast-paced world of indie development, “moving fast” usually means cutting corners. But for the three-person UK team at FOXBOY Productions, the last six months have been a masterclass in focused, high-octane ambition.

    Without a massive studio infrastructure or a publisher’s safety net, the team has just unveiled a fully playable vertical slice of their debut title, Secrets of the Burrow: Vixoria’s Quest. This 3D platformer isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the golden age of the genre—it’s a bold attempt to rewrite its mechanical DNA.

    Two Heroes, One Seamless Adventure

    At the heart of Vixoria’s Quest is the relationship between the rebellious Princess Vixoria and the begrudgingly loyal Sir Foxalot. While many games treat secondary characters as mere “AI luggage,” FOXBOY has implemented a seamless character-switching system that keeps both heroes relevant at all times.

    Key Traversal Features:

    • Cooperative AI Parkour: When you aren’t controlling one character, they don’t just stand around. The AI follows through complex parkour sequences with fluid, acrobatic intelligence.
    • Distinct Skillsets: Vixoria leads the way with agile, puzzle-solving finesse, while Foxalot brings the heavy-hitting utility needed to survive the fallen Kingdom of Sylvandell.
    • The “Disney” Aesthetic: Visually, the game feels like a 1990s animated classic brought to life in Unreal Engine 5.6, featuring painterly environments that range from waterfall basins to crystalline labyrinths.

    The RPM System: Combat with Momentum

    The standout feature of the vertical slice—and perhaps the game’s “X-factor”—is the RPM Combat System. FOXBOY is pitching this as a “signature” mechanic, unlike anything currently seen in 3D platforming.

    “Combat in Secrets of the Burrow revolves around the innovative RPM system, where maintaining momentum is everything.”

    Inspired by the tension of bullet-hell design, the RPM system requires players to dodge waves of projectiles and build kinetic energy through movement. As Sir Foxalot, you unleash a whirlwind spinning attack. The goal? Build your “RPM” to a fever pitch. If you collide with an obstacle or mistime a move, you lose that momentum. It’s a rhythmic, high-stakes loop of evasion and release that rewards mastery without alienating newcomers.

    The Road to 2027

    The journey from a three-person concept to a standout showcase at Paris Games Week is no small feat. Led by Creative Director Kevin Asla, Programmer Elliot Atkins-Turkish, and Animator Alex Thapar, the team has managed to condense years of “big studio” polish into a six-month development sprint.

    With a target release window of 2027 for PC and consoles, Secrets of the Burrow: Vixoria’s Quest is already proving that a clear vision and a bit of “woodland mischief” can go a long way.

    Want to see it in action? You can already find playtest walkthroughs appearing online, or head over to Steam to add this whimsical adventure to your wishlist.

    For the latest indie spotlights and deep dives into the UK dev scene, stay tuned to TechMash.

    Find out more here – https://s.team/a/3729660

    #SecretsOfTheBurrow #FOXBOYProductions #IndieGame #ActionAdventure #3DPlatformer #CuteGame #UnrealEngine5 #IndieDev #PlatformerGame #PuzzlePlatformer #GameTrailer #ComingSoon

  • Squirrel with a Gun gets the Ratatoskr Update

    Squirrel with a Gun gets the Ratatoskr Update

    It may be a strange concept but the Squirrel with a Gun game is a brilliant idea that really does take gaming to a completely different level and to make things even more interesting there is a new update for the game that brings in some fancy outfits and even new bosses to take down, what more could you want?

    To find out more about the Squirrel with a Gun game and the Ratatoskr update go to the official game website here https://squirrelwithagun.com

    #SquirrelwithaGun #swag #sandboxgame #simulation #simulator #simulatorgames #puzzleplatformer #sandboxshooter #squirrel #playstation #xbox #consoles #consolegaming #consolerelease #MaximumEntertainment #DeeDeeCreations