Indie Games News/Previews #11

Cathedral by Decemberborn Interactive (2018) - PC

A few years ago I saw a new indie game featured somewhere which caught my eye. A small amount of investigation revealed it was an NES-inspired arcade adventure called Cathedral and was soon to be released on PC via Steam and the like. Further news, however, was not forthcoming, and then, a game that should not have been forgotten was lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for three and a half years, the game passed out of all knowledge. But lo, by the will of some craft, whether fair or foul, I recently found myself mournfully recalling this game and decided to look it up once again, only to find that it not only still exists but is soon to be released!

I suppose I shouldn't get my hopes up too much - I think I remember that being the case all those long years ago too, but my interest has been very much reinvigorated and plenty of new info and screenshots have been revealed since my brief glimpse at the game in what must have been its earliest stages. The NES inspiration extends beyond its lovely aesthetic style, for example. The game is modelled structurally on the likes of Castlevania and Metroid and that means a vast, interconnected, non-linear world of puzzles, side quests, and secrets to explore. There are seven main dungeons which might not sound like a huge amount but it is already apparent that there's a whole lot of adventuring here.

As you may have noticed, you play as a formidable looking red knight, and as you progress through the game you can unlock new skills and equipment for him. The game world looks like it is nicely varied in terms of locations too. There are several towns to visit as well as NPC's to have a bit of a chat with, and being in the Metroidvania style you'll also be returning to earlier areas to visit previously inaccessible areas that were so tantalisingly out of reach. I do enjoy getting stuck into these games and this one sounds (or looks) like being a corker, so let's hope those splendid fellows at Decemberborn have almost finished applying their finishing touches and bestow it upon us all soon!

You can find out more about Cathedral and the team behind it at the official website here. Or alternatively, feast your eyes upon this stonking trailer: