Celeste remains one of my favourite platformers, so of course I’m always curious about whatever developer Extremely OK Games might put out. And while the full studio itself seemingly isn’t ready to reveal what’s next, at least one core dev is. EXOK Games (as they’re also known) announced today that they’ll be publishing City of None, a metroidvania with some lush pixel art by Celeste co-creator Noel Berry, alongside his brother Liam.
“A metropolis crumbles into ruin as powerful barons satisfy their greed upon souls lost in time,” explains EXOK of the Berry brothers’ new game. “You are but one spirit, with a wooden body left to rot in the wild…” While details are slim over on the Steam page, you do seem set to explore this dilapidated city that is “filled with strange spirits, wicked beasts, ferocious robots, and more than one friend.”
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According to Liam’s personal website, he’s doing the sound, with Noel focusing on programming, and the pair of them carrying out design, narrative, and art together. I can’t speak to the design or narrative, though the movement and combat looks snappy and playful – one GIF on the game’s Steam page sees the protagonist jumping out the way of a sword thrust, only to land on the blade and stab back in kind.
The art is the main standout here. It’s obviously not 1-bit, given that there’s a (lovely subdued) use of colour, but it definitely leans in that direction all the same. Even just from a tiny reveal there’s a nice sense of place emanating from the mysterious-looking environments. I’m certainly keen to have a wander, and to find out what kind of abilities you can pick up too. Above all else, it’s just nice to see something from EXOK after Earthblade was cancelled last year.
No release date attached to this one other than sometime in 2027, but you can wishlist it on Steam here in the meantime.
