Inevitably, many of the versions we see today are more or less inspired by classics of yesteryear. It happens from AAA titles to more modest indie games. But it’s the right balance between what you want to draw from the past and how you iterate on it that makes the current generation of games shine. I had the opportunity to see the beautiful shimmer at Red Art Studios’ Promenade.
Promenade is a 2D platformer in which we control young Nemo, a character tasked with repairing a great elevator that has malfunctioned and whose fragments are now scattered around the world. Accompanied by his little octopus companion, with whom we interact to solve obstacles, we will have to collect pieces to make a path and ascend step by step until we reach the top of the Great Elevator. But the world is very dynamic, and both objects and their inhabitants require a certain amount of skill and cunning to overcome puzzles to obtain each piece.
I know I used big words in the title of this preview, but the premise of Promenade is very similar to the concept of the first three-dimensional Mario game on the Nintendo 64, although here it’s adapted into a 2D side-scrolling game. In Promenade we encounter hundreds of carefully laid out mechanical parts, both in small missions and while exploring the map (although the number required to complete the adventure is far more than to complete the missions, like in Super Mario 64), and I loved each one Missions are detailed in each level with a specific name, reminiscent of missions that award stars. In fact, there are some direct homages to Mario, such as racing against a rather grumpy penguin.
Here is an ad:
By completing each mission and getting at least three parts or gears to repair the ascent, we progress through the levels, but the aesthetics also give us a clue that the narrative is deeper than it seems at first glance. Everything seems to indicate that we are in Nemo’s mind and that he is suffering from some kind of trauma and only by going through these areas will we be able to tell what he is coping with, but I will be able to confirm these assumptions when the game launches next year.
Level design seems to be another highlight, taking some getting used to Nemo’s unique jumping mechanics to get around the colorful world, which is also heavily inspired by contemporary anime like Adventure Time. And it’s also very challenging. In my brief trial period with the game, it made me curse more than once for not executing a jump correctly or getting stuck unable to complete Penguin Run. This isn’t because of a technical bug, it’s just that the game looks good, but it’s challenging.
It’s hard to express that much enthusiasm for a game that’s still a long way off its release schedule (although if all goes well, it should be available on PC and consoles in February 2024), but I think The Promenade may be one of those little gems that deserves to reach out to the public and be enjoyed by all. This was one of my favorite indie games from Gamescom and I’m looking forward to its release in a few months.
Here is an ad:
