We’re into the ultimate week of September and the video video games have been coming so thick and quick that it is arduous to maintain up. One such sport — indie Soulslike Fountains — launched simply final week on seventeenth September, though maybe lacking out on day one wasn’t such a nasty factor on this case: a free Nintendo Swap 2 Version improve pack has appeared on the eShop which provides 120fps help. Larvely.
With a top-down view and a pixel-art aesthetic harking back to Hyper Gentle Drifter, Fountains is the work of Canada-based solo dev John Pywell, who began improvement again in 2020 earlier than a profitable Kickstarter marketing campaign in 2022.
The sport launched in December 2024 on Steam and Darkish Souls is evidently a large inspiration – the massive overworld, unforgiving fight, and the power to go away on-line messages all come straight out of FromSoft’s playbook.
With a splash of Metroidvania and a few Hole Knight thrown in for good measure (“The principle battle mechanic of hitting enemies to regain your magic useful resource was shamelessly stolen from Hole Knight,” Pywell instructed Xbox Wire lately), it is definitely hitting all of the touchstones in case you’re after partaking, explorative, unforgiving motion. Hmm, do you hit touchstones? You do on Friday afternoon after a protracted week, mates.
This is slightly excerpt from the official blurb to provide some extra flavour, plus some screens:
FOUNTAINS is a soulslike action-RPG constructed round preventing your manner by a maze-like interconnected, seamless world. You may take the function of a hooded stranger, lately imprisoned by a tyrannical regime. Will you escape and uncover the mysteries of this war-torn empire?
Demanding, however honest fight
Tight, responsive fight places each device and tactic in your arsenal to the take a look at, rewarding precision and fast pondering. Your enemies will hit arduous and punish hesitation, turning every combat into an intense back-and-forth the place the tide of battle can shift right away. Adjustable problem settings allow you to really feel that thrill at precisely the depth you crave, irrespective of your expertise.Exploration that rewards curiosity
The world of FOUNTAINS is one, seamless, big dungeon. It’s a tightly packed labyrinth which twists and loops again on itself. You may all the time uncover one thing new: gadgets, powers and upgrades to unlock new elements of the world.Depart Your Mark
FOUNTAINS options a web based message system. Depart hints all through the world to assist out your fellow gamers, or trick them into doing one thing silly!
In addition to 120fps, the Swap 2 model contains an unique “Gauntlet Mode” which is certainly not only a posh identify for ‘Boss Rush’.
It will set you again $14.99 / £13.49 on the eShop, though there is a cheeky little 10% low cost for a few weeks. The sport is at the moment rocking a ‘Very Optimistic’ ranking on Steam (from 432 opinions), and we might love to listen to your ideas beneath in case you’ve performed it, or in case you’re selecting up what it is placing down.