Part of what makes indie games so great is that they find new ways to use old ideas. For example, the indie game industry loves to turn genres established by AAA developers on their heads. The Metroidvania is one of the best examples. Although the genre was naturally founded on the backs of Metroid and Castlevania, nowadays its best described by highly influential indie titles such as Hollow Knight. Although Hollow Knight is one of the definitive Metroidvanias in the genre's current generation, it doesn't have a monopoly on the genre. There's another Metroidvania coming to PC and PlayStation soon, and it's called FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch.
The upcoming FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch is a PS5 title and the work of the Shanghai based indie developer TiGames, a young studio that's clearly full of big ideas. FIST tells the story of Rayton, an anthropomorphic rabbit and war veteran who returns to the front lines of a resistance movement against the tyrannical Machine Legion after the Legion captures his friend. Rayton leaps back into battle with the help of a large mechanical fist he wears on his back. Between combo-based combat and plenty of classic Metroidvania exploration, FIST looks like it has a shot at being the next big game in the genre.
Core Components of FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch
In FIST, Rayton has a wide world to explore, and a lot of enemies to fight. TiGames has more weapons than Rayton's signature Fist to offer players, though; there's also a Drill and a Whip that he can use. Each weapon handles differently and enables different combos, meaning there's plenty of layers to FIST's sidescrolling combat. Gameplay trailers show Rayton moving quickly between different combos, juggling enemies midair before taking them down. From the looks of things, FIST is designed to reward players for both using Rayton's weapons creatively and for memorizing their favorite combos.
Platforming-based exploration is also clearly a major component of FIST. Torch City, the setting of FIST, is clearly a big place, and players won't cover its full scale quickly. Just like any classic Metroidvania, FIST encourages players to jump to new heights and seek out hidden places in Torch City to advance in the game. There are also plenty of obstacles scattered around Torch City for players to evade, from ground hazards to wall-mounted turrets. Between a generous number of jumps and midair dashes, it looks like FIST players won't be short on mobility tools when they're exploring the city.
Aside from gameplay elements, one of the biggest things that sets FIST apart from other games coming out soon is its aesthetic. It's set in a world full of anthropomorphic animals, but it combines this familiar device with a unique dieselpunk twist. Torch City is a highly industrial place full of looming machines and dark metal. Dieselpunk is a much less common sci-fi aesthetic than its steampunk and cyberpunk cousins, so FIST's decision to use dieselpunk instead of chasing Cyberpunk 2077's trend makes the game's look a breath of fresh air.
FIST Looks Like a Valuable PlayStation Title
Even though Metroid itself is returning to the game industry soon thanks to Metroid Dread, it's far from the only game set to introduce new ideas to Metroidvanias in the near future. FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch clearly has plenty to contribute to the genre as well, from its weapon system to its dieselpunk influences. Sony must be pretty enthusiastic about FIST, as it appeared in a recent State of Play. Not every indie game is so lucky as to get advertised by the developer of one of its platforms. Hopefully, FIST lives up to Sony's apparent excitement and becomes a new member of the Metroidvania genre that can rival classics like Hollow Knight and important contenders like Metroid Dread.
FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch releases on September 7, 2021 for PC, PS4, and PS5.