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Stunning new indie puzzler is channeling Shadow of the Colossus

Indie adventure game Helix: Descent n Ascent invites you to explore a forgotten world filled with puzzles to solve and secrets to uncover.

A black and white alien-like creature.

If stylish comic book-inspired visuals, journeys through long-forgotten lands, and ethereal soundtracks are your kind of thing, this new indie game from Belgian developer Badass Mongoose could be right up your street. In Helix: Descent n Ascent, you’ll travel a nonlinear path filled with puzzles, using five special abilities to help you solve them. You’ll also look for hints about what happened in this ancient world.

Like the game itself, the trailer and promotional material for Helix: Descent n Ascent is shrouded in mystery. There’s a lot of talk about “realizing your destiny” and “the undying spirit of the past,” so I imagine there are going to be lots of secrets to discover along the way. The game’s somber, melancholic vibe reminds me of Team Ico’s epic Shadow of the Colossus, albeit with a very different presentation style.

I’ll be honest, those slick visuals alone have already sold me on this intriguing indie game. Inspired by ’80s comics and ’90s manga, the game’s distinctive black-and-white art style is also intended to represent “the duality of light and darkness,” which appears to be a running theme throughout the game.

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Unfortunately, there’s quite a while to wait until we can dive into the lonely, forgotten world of Helix: Descent n Ascent, as the game is scheduled to be released at some point in 2025.

If you’re looking for something new to play in the meantime, you can take a look at our roundup of the best puzzle games on PC, as well as the best free games on Steam.

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