Poland is a hotbed for game development, with a large number of companies big and small making their mark on the industry. King's Pleasure is another new studio based in Krakow, with its team boasting credits including Cyberpunk 2077, Serial Cleaner and Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York; its debut title, Cosmic, looks quite intriguing.

On the one hand a 2D action platformer isn't the rarest of beast nowadays, and aspects of its design (at least what is shown in the announcement trailer) brings to mind a much darker take on Guacamelee-style combat.

The plot, and how it'll apparently feed into the gameplay, does have undoubted potential; you have to team up with someone else's shadow to find your own, all while the owner of the monstrous buddy is in pursuit.

Below is some of the official description.

  • A mysterious universe inhabited by weird characters whose shadows have their own distinct personalities, where light and shadow dictate its metaphysical rules
  • Fast-paced 2D gameplay with two distinguished styles: use the light to unleash the beastly shadow attached to Vik and perform deadly melee combos or use agility and subterfuge to escape danger while in the dark
  • Multiple exotic worlds to explore with expansive maps filled with puzzles, secrets, and challenges. Find new items, unlock new abilities and use them to travel back and forth through space and time to explore what you previously couldn’t access
  • Flawlessly fluid animations that enhance the gameplay experience and a distinguishable art style that plays with contrasts

Cosmic isn't due for release until next year, so there's still plenty of time for development and for more details to emerge. Based on the initial look, though, let us know what you think down in the comments.