Horror video games come in many flavors, but Metroidvanias bring their own kind of chills. They are, after all, twisted labyrinths filled with mysteries and monsters alike. As for Moadra, the Metroid and Blasphemous vibes are strong with this one. Players will need to shoot, roll, and leap their way through claustrophobic environments to survive. Between the insectoid machinery, squid creatures, and distorted voice lines, there's plenty to fear when the game drops for PC and consoles in 2025.
Watch the full Moadra console announcement trailer.
Moadra developer Gloomsoft is a three-person indie team, but Gloomsoft has already accomplished big things with its debut game. Even from the trailers and demo, the attention to detail is evident. Crackling electricity and fiery rockets streak through the blackness. The influence of sci-fi classics like Predator and StarCraft on the visual design is also obvious. None left a bigger impression than Alien, however. Strangely organic machines and sinister shapes are everywhere.
As the titular Moadra, players explore the desert world of Protea VI. Surviving the planet's mysteries and hostile fauna won't be easy. Thankfully, Moadra offers players a variety of potent tools and mutations to enhance their abilities. In addition to an arsenal of weapons, there's also a handy scanner bot and x-ray ability. Secret passages? No problem. Detecting creatures in this way puts you one step closer to absorbing their delicious biomass. Move over, Carrion. There's a new all-consuming protagonist in town.
Gloomsoft offers all the essential Metroidvania hooks. That includes a dense and mysterious world that feels worth the effort to investigate. Upgrading one's abilities means incorporating Protoplasm from the slain. Taking a plunge in a vat of questionable green goo to power up? What could go wrong? It's not like we have The Fly or a million other examples of experiments gone awry. As long as there's a new Umbral Armor or Protocannon upgrade at the end, who cares?
Gloomsoft's debut game seems well-positioned to deliver. Getting the horror atmosphere right is tough, but the slimy mazes and foreboding corridors of Moadra are up to the challenge. Satisfying combat, intricate level design, and pretty SFX are a good start for any Metroidvania. Time will tell if it's enough to launch Moadra to new heights. Players will get a closer look at what's lurking between the stars when Moadra launches on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2025.