Clockwork Ambrosia is a new pixel art side-scrolling action title from developer Realmsoft and publisher OI Games. The developer has described the game as “Metal Slug meets Borderlands”, and a new demo has just been released on Steam. Clockwork Ambrosia has been in development for 14 years and combines elements of traditional Metroidvania and modern ideas. The game is expected to launch on Steam in April.

Players are placed in the boots of Iris, an itinerant airship engineer trying to escape the island of Aspida after a near-miss airship crash. Our plucky heroine soon finds herself caught up in a mystery spanning eons when the island’s populace disappears, seemingly replaced by deadly robots and monsters. It’s up to her to uncover the truth of what befell the island’s populace and restore the land to its former glory.

“We’re big fans of Super Metroid, but one aspect of that seminal classic we felt could be improved upon is its weapon-building,” said Nathan Hiemenz, Founder and Developer at Realmsoft. “In Super Metroid, the weapon modifications are additive and unlocked in a linear progression, stacking on top of each other. Once you get an upgrade, there’s no reason not to use it. We wanted to let players mix and match their weapon mods, as they have different advantages and disadvantages based on the scenario and player preference.”

Clockwork Ambrosia features:

Side-scrolling action platformer with an authored, interconnected world

Six vastly different weapons, each offering unique mechanics

150+ modifications for simple and intuitive weapon customization

Snappy crafting system lets players unlock new powers and abilities

Beautiful hand-drawn art brings the world and characters to life

Original score composed by Johnny Stixx

A story of mystery, friends, and robots