{"id":30973,"date":"2026-02-16T17:49:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T17:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.retronews.com\/?p=30973"},"modified":"2026-02-16T17:49:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T17:49:19","slug":"akatori-new-demo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.retronews.com\/staging\/guide\/akatori-new-demo\/","title":{"rendered":"Retro-inspired Adventure Akatori New Demo Out Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

Akatori<\/strong><\/a> is a new pixel art Metroidvania from developer Contrast Games<\/strong>. It is due for release on Steam<\/strong> at a yet to be announced date, but a new demo will give players a glimpse as to what they can expect. Players take on the role of Mako, a young monk who embarks on a journey through interconnected worlds to save her homeland from the Amber Storms, a corrupting force distorting all living things, accompanied by a mysterious red bird sealed within her staff.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gameplay in Akatori<\/strong> revolves around Mako\u2019s staff, which serves as a weapon, a traversal tool, and a key to the world\u2019s secrets. The staff is central to every encounter. Players chain combos on the ground and in mid-air, launch the staff as a projectile, and pull it back to continue attacking in a single fluid motion. Outside combat, the staff enables gliding, wall-hooking, sliding, and momentum-driven parkour across highly vertical environments.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was a real challenge to bring together such different worlds, in terms of atmosphere, mechanics, and gameplay dynamics. The goal was to create a distinctly unique experience for each location while still uniting them through a shared meaning. I hope we managed to achieve that.\u201d Said Serge<\/strong>, Game Director, Contrast<\/strong> Games<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Key features in Akatori<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kung Fu Parkour: Expressive, momentum-driven traversal across highly vertical environments<\/span><\/p>\n

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Movement-Driven Combat: A highly mobile combat system where players chain staff combos on the ground and in mid-air while staying in constant motion<\/span><\/p>\n

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Striking 2.5D Visuals: Pixel art characters set against fully 3D environments<\/span><\/p>\n

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Staff-Centric Design: One tool connects parkour, combat, and narrative<\/span><\/p>\n

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Various Myth-Inspired Biomes: Each with unique mechanics, species, and pacing<\/span><\/p>\n

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Living Enemy Ecosystems: Enemies fight each other, trigger traps, and react to hazards<\/span><\/p>\n

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Unconventional Boss Fights: From underwater escapes to rhythm-based challenges<\/span><\/p>\n

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Memorable Soundtrack: A rich and varied musical score with distinct themes for each location and boss encounter<\/span><\/p>\n

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