Extremely OK Games, the acclaimed indie developer of Celeste, has just announced its next game to be a 2D exploration action game titled Earthblade with a first official artwork and soundtrack teaser. The indie studio first released an early version of Celeste, created in only four days as part of a game jam, in 2016. The team then fleshed out this early concept into a full-fledged platformer that released in 2018, and charmed players have been clamoring for more since.
Celeste was met with near-universal critical acclaim, with praise heaped upon the title’s gameplay, level design, story and soundtrack. Creators Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry have continued to support the platformer title by both creating new content and providing new context to the game’s story. In November 2020, Thorson confirmed that Celeste protagonist Madeline is canonically transgender, giving the characters’ inner conflict an even deeper meaning. Thorson revealed that writing the story was a deeply personal experience, and Madeline’s struggles with gender identity reflected Thorson’s own experiences and self-discovery. Early this year, Thorson and Berry created brand new content in the form of Celeste Classic 2: Lani’s Trek, a sequel to the original 8-bit version of Celeste. While the original title was created in four days as part of a game jam, Lani’s Trek was reportedly developed in only three.
Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry’s studio, Extremely OK Games, has announced its next project Earthblade via Twitter. According to the developers the game will be a 2D “explore-action game,” suggesting that both exploration and combat will be featured in equal measure. A snippet of the title’s soundtrack was also revealed through the Twitter post, demonstrating a beautiful chanting choir accompanied by a lovely beat. A blog post by the studio goes into further detail, explaining the the reason behind the game’s lengthy development. The planned release date of Earthblade still remains a mystery.
While big-budget blockbuster games will always have a place in the industry, independent developers like Extremely OK Games have an essential role to play as well. These smaller studios are able to explore innovative mechanics and niche genres that big franchises cannot afford to touch. Despite being a tiny team, the Celeste developer revolutionized game difficulty and accessibility on its first full-fledged attempt, so it’s exciting to see what Extremely OK could accomplish with Earthblade.
Celeste is considered one of the greatest games released in 2018, with fun gameplay that’s only as challenging feeding into a deeply emotional narrative. The title touched the hearts of many who played it, and the game’s developers continued to communicate with fans in a very personal way. While Earthblade may still be some years away from release, fans are sure to jump at any opportunity to enter another Extremely OK experience.
