Metroidvania Platformer Laika Believes to be Released Episodically

Developer Minicore Studios has announced that Laika Believes, based loosely on the adorable and tragic Soviet cosmonaut pooch Laika, is to be released in three instalments.

Set in a Soviet-dominated world, the upcoming XBLA game stars the space-faring dog, Laika Believes is designed as a Metroidvania-style platformer on which the elements the team is focused on improving include, as the developer’s latest blog post states, “massive, nonlinear levels, choice-rich skill trees, and game mechanics.”

Because Minicore Studios was concerned that the endeavour was far too much to focus on in one single release for a small indie developer, they have determined an episodic format to be preferable if only to lighten the load. It will also allow them to be able to focus more intently on fewer details at a time, making for a better overall final product.

Conveniently, the game is being split along “natural break points” already present in the title as is. While this is obviously beneficial to the studio, it’s also meaningful to prospective players: with improved pacing and more refined and detailed instalments, Minicore believes that Laika Believes will ultimately do a better job of allowing the player to discover new areas at their own pace and be left with a better impression at the end of the day.

While little has been seen of the game, Minicore attended PAX East several months back. However, the studio reports that the engine is now complete and the game is moving into its first stage of play-testing, which suggests that a playable demo should appear at PAX Prime in late August (from August 31—September 2).

Via: Minicore Studios