Heart Machine Announces Solar Ash Kingdom

The still-mysterious game is a followup to the acclaimed Hyper Light Drifter.

Heart Machine’s debut game, Hyper Light Drifter, received considerable acclaim for its imaginatively retro artwork, enigmatic storyline, haunting soundtrack, and difficult gameplay. (I also appreciated its spiritual aspects.) But what would its developers do for a follow-up?

If the above trailer for Solar Ash Kingdom is any indication, then it’s going to be another visually stunning game set in an intriguing, fantastical world.

Details are still pretty scarce, but there’s a lot that’s tantalizing in the trailer, from the main character’s skating movements and battle with some horrible beastie to the alien and ruins-filled landscapes. (My favorite detail is the remains of what might’ve been some sort of space station floating in the sky at the 0:18 mark).

In a statement to IGN (who debuted the trailer), Heart Machine’s Alx Preston had this to say:

We strive to tell a beautiful story through our world, the atmosphere, our characters and even our gameplay — each aspect of our games are painstakingly considered — which requires a large investment of time. Thanks for bearing with us and our relative silence; we’re so excited to start opening up about the game and the process behind it on our devlog and beyond.

Which would imply that more information will be forthcoming in the not-too-distant future, including a release date.

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