TECHMASH

Tag: #SeismicSquirrel

  • Gravity-Defying Triumph: Aether & Iron Grabs Best RPG Nomination at TooManyGames 2026

    Gravity-Defying Triumph: Aether & Iron Grabs Best RPG Nomination at TooManyGames 2026

    The indie gaming scene is absolutely electric right now, and today brings some massive news for fans of deep storytelling and stunning world-building. Developer Seismic Squirrel has officially announced that their breakout hits, Aether & Iron, have been selected as part of the prestigious 2026 TooManyGames Indie Game Showcase Awards.

    Even more exciting? The decopunk noir title has officially secured a nomination for Best Role Playing Game, cementing its status as one of the standout indie RPGs of the year.

    Standing Out in a Massive Crowd

    This nomination is no small feat. The TooManyGames Indie Showcase is notoriously competitive, drawing submissions from across the globe. For the 2026 awards, Aether & Iron was handpicked from a highly curated pool of 150 juried indie games, putting it directly under the spotlight at one of the summer’s premier gaming conventions.

    The category win will be decided alongside 14 other award types, highlighting the finest independent innovation, creativity, and passion in the industry today.

    What Makes Aether & Iron a Must-Play?

    If you haven’t yet dived into Seismic Squirrel’s masterpiece, you are missing out on one of the most uniquely atmospheric games of 2026.

    Set in an alternate, gravity-defying 1930s New York City, the game trades traditional streets for a vertical metropolis kept afloat by “aether”—a newly discovered anti-gravitational technology. You play as Gia, a sharp-tongued smuggler navigating a deeply class-stratified society, dangerous crime syndicates, and fragile political alliances.

    • Pedigree Writing & Audio: The game features narrative talent with past credits on heavy hitters like Mass Effect and Far Cry. Adding to the rich, smoky, noir atmosphere is an original score composed by two-time Grammy Award winner Christopher Tin and Grammy nominee Alex Williamson (Civilisation series).
    • Decopunk Noir Aesthetic: Visually inspired by 1930s detective comics and the Art Deco period, the hand-drawn art style is jaw-dropping.
    • Tactical Depth: Beyond the heavy narrative focus and fully voiced branching dialogue, players must master a robust turn-based tactical combat system and upgrade their smuggler vehicles with hidden compartments, smoke dispensers, and flamethrowers.

    “An instant RPG masterpiece and one of the best games of 2026.” — Region Free

    The winners are being unveiled at the Neko Stage in Hall D during the convention, with the ceremony being streamed live on Steam and YouTube.

    If you want to see what all the hype is about, Seismic Squirrel has recently rolled out major updates to the game, including the new Roadside Garage feature. Aether & Iron is currently available on Steam for both Windows and MacOS with a playable demo available if you want to test your smuggling skills first.

    Huge congratulations to the teams at Seismic Squirrel and Chaos Theory Games on a well-deserved nomination!

    Find out more here

    #AetherAndIron #SeismicSquirrel #TooManyGames2026 #IndieGames #RPG #IndieGameShowcase #GamingNews #Decopunk #NoirGaming #TechMash

  • Aether & Iron trailer with upcoming content and gameplay features

    Aether & Iron trailer with upcoming content and gameplay features

    IGN Live 2026 has given us plenty of exciting announcements, but for fans of gritty, atmospheric storytelling, indie developer Seismic Squirrel stole the spotlight. The studio debuted a brand-new content update trailer for their standout decopunk narrative RPG, Aether & Iron, offering a stellar first look at how they are expanding the game’s evolving, retro-futuristic world.

    Having launched earlier this spring, Aether & Iron has already carved out a dedicated fanbase thanks to its striking 1930s alternate-history New York, where anti-gravity tech has sent roads and cars soaring into the skies. If you’ve been craving more smuggling, tactical vehicular combat, and choice-driven drama, the latest showcase proves Seismic Squirrel is just getting started.

    Here is everything revealed in the new trailer, including features you can play right now.

    Shift Gears Anywhere: The Roadside Garage is Live!

    The biggest surprise of the trailer is a major quality-of-life feature that is available to play immediately.

    The brand-new Roadside Garage completely revamps how players handle their fleet of aether-powered vehicles. Previously, changing up your build meant a tedious trip back to a main garage base. With this new update, you can reconfigure your vehicle loadouts directly on the fly between combat encounters.

    Whether you need to quickly mount smoke dispensers, swap to hidden smuggling compartments, or bolt on some extra flamethrowers for an unexpected ambush, experimentation is now entirely seamless.

    What else dropped in the live patch?

    • Vehicle Liquidation: Players can now sell off vehicles they no longer need to fund new upgrades.
    • Combat Rebalancing: Balance adjustments have been made to several key combat encounters across the campaign to smooth out the strategic curve.

    Coming Soon: Deeper Noir Lore and Tabletop Gambling

    Seismic Squirrel didn’t just give us immediate toys to play with; the trailer also previewed a roadmap for upcoming content currently in active development.

    1. Brand-New Narrative Missions

    While Gia’s smuggling story already features over 200 fully-voiced characters, the developer is expanding the script with a suite of upcoming narrative missions. These story drops promise to plunge players deeper into the political conspiracies, underground crime syndicates, and corporate greed gripping this vertical metropolis.

    2. A 1930s-Inspired Dice Mini-Game

    What is a noir underworld without a little high-stakes gambling? Coming soon is a stylised, period-accurate tabletop dice game. Deployed as an in-world diversion, this mini-game won’t just be for passing the time—it will actively tie into character interactions and feature risk-based rewards that can influence your crew’s resources.

    Grab It on Sale

    To celebrate the IGN Live showcase, Seismic Squirrel and co-developer Chaos Theory are slashing prices. Aether & Iron is currently 20% off on Steam for a limited time.

    If you haven’t yet experienced its unique blend of Mass Effect-style choice systems, Civilisation-esque orchestral scoring from Christopher Tin, and turn-based car combat, there has never been a better time to jump into the skies of New York.

    Aether & Iron is out now on PC and macOS via Steam, featuring a free playable demo.

    What do you think of the new updates? Are you ready to gamble your hard-earned aether credits in the upcoming dice game? Let us know in the comments below!

    Source – https://s.team/a/1836560

    #SeismicSquirrel #AetherandIron #IGNLive #gametrailer #newcontent

  • High-Speed Smuggling in the Clouds: Aether & Iron Hits Steam on March 31

    High-Speed Smuggling in the Clouds: Aether & Iron Hits Steam on March 31

    Buckle up, because the 1930s just got a lot more vertical. Seismic Squirrel has officially confirmed that their highly anticipated decopunk narrative RPG, Aether & Iron, is set to launch for PC and Mac via Steam on March 31, 2026.

    If you’ve ever wondered what Mass Effect would look like if it were directed by Fritz Lang and set in a floating New York City, this is the game for you.

    Welcome to the Vertical City

    Set in an alternate timeline where the discovery of anti-gravitational “aether” technology has literally lifted New York into the sky, Aether & Iron puts you in the driver’s seat—literally. You play as Gia, a down-on-her-luck smuggler trying to navigate a city defined by stunning Art Deco architecture and deep, dangerous social divides.

    This isn’t just a walking simulator, though. The game blends deep narrative choices with tactical, turn-based vehicular combat. Your car is your lifeblood, and in this world, a good getaway driver is worth their weight in gold.

    Key Features to Watch For:

    Tactical Road Wars: Engage in strategic, turn-based battles using a fleet of customizable aether-powered vehicles. Whether you prefer a glass-cannon speedster or a tanky brute with a grenade launcher, the garage is your playground.

    Choice & Consequence: With a writing team featuring veterans from Mass Effect and Far Cry, your decisions actually matter. Your actions shape the fate of the city and your standing with its warring factions.

    The Power of the Dice: Success isn’t just about your stats (Hustle, Smarts, and Brass); it’s also about the luck of the draw. The game leans into its RPG roots with dice-driven outcomes that keep every encounter tense.

    Full Voice Acting: Immerse yourself in a fully-voiced world that brings the noir atmosphere of the 1930s to life with a modern, high-tech twist.

    A New Era of Decopunk

    Visually, the game is a knockout. Inspired by 1930s detective comics, the “decopunk” aesthetic creates a world that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly alien. From the seedy underbelly of “The Hole” to the gleaming towers of the elite, every inch of this floating metropolis is dripping with style.

    “We’re thrilled to finally bring the world of Aether & Iron to players. It’s been a journey of bringing a retro-futuristic vision to life, combining the grit of noir with the tactical depth of a modern RPG.” — Seismic Squirrel Dev Team

    Ready for Launch?

    Aether & Iron will be available on March 31 for Windows and macOS. It’s also confirmed to be Steam Deck Verified, so you can take your smuggling runs on the go.

    If you can’t wait until the end of the month, there is a free 2-hour demo currently available on Steam that lets you play through the opening act and get a feel for the turn-based car combat.

    Find out more here – https://www.seismicsquirrel.com/

    #SeismicSquirrel #AetherandIron #scifi #alternatehistory #robots #gameupdate #games #gaming #gamers #platformer #gameplay #demogame #videogames #arcadegames