Stealth Platformer SteamDolls Launches February 11th, Reuniting Metal Gear's Voice Cast
SteamDolls, the debut stealth-meets-action platformer delight by French-Belgian studio The Shady Gentleman, will launch February 11th at 1pm EST / 10am PST / 6pm UTC into Steam Early Access. A new trailer has been released as well, officially revealing the launch date.
Play as the bloodthirsty, witty, and just a bit kooky Whisper (played by David Hayter) and balance both stealth and brutality as you make your way through a comic book-inspired steampunk city on the verge of anarchy. A free demo also remains available, featuring the intro sequence the game. The game will be available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish at launch, and contain about 6 chapters of the game, totaling an estimated 5-7 hours of content. The game's developers are hoping to gather player feedback to improve mechanics, balancing, and content leading up to the 1.0 launch.
The title, originally teased to the public back in 2019, boasts a reunion of AAA voice actors from the Metal Gear Solid franchise (no relation to studio), including David Hayter, Christopher Randolph, and Jennifer Hale. It bills itself as a unique stealth-lite meets action platformer experience, with a hint of brutal combat and deep levels of exploration. The release date announcement trailer can be viewed below:
Originally conceived based on a comic book from the development studio and then Kickstarted soon after, SteamDolls has been a passion project of its director. The game features a beautiful comic book inspired 2D-meets-3D aesthetic, with a spattering of unique, fully voiced cinematic cutscenes. It boasts a large world to explore split across unique zones, such as a beautiful yet far overgrown chapel, a hellish underbelly seemingly made of flesh, an electrified industrial bunker, a city overrun by an insect-like infection, and more! Put the treasure found during your explorations to good usage back in your home base by upgrading The Whisper and his skills to better suit your gameplay style, unlocking unique lore and cutscenes, and putting your finest trophies on display.
Of course, the title has more to offer than just its AAA voice work and beautiful art. In-game, you'll find yourself entrenched in the utter brutality of a labyrinthine city gone mad. Sleuth through the shadows of the world and lose yourself in every nook and cranny of this city - and the blood of its inhabitants. Taking the role of The Whisper (David Hayter), you'll have to balance stealth and brutality to make your goals into reality. Launch head-first into combat assassinate your enemies by performing devastating finishers, or lurk in the shadows and slip between the cracks undetected. Experience the narrative of the Steamdolls universe, and delve into not only the story of this dying world but also the secrets found in its shadows. Hack into terminals and experience the memories of the past, and the ghosts that lurk in the remnants of the modern world.
Features:
- Novel stealth-lite gameplay mixed with platforming and brutal action
- Gruesome finishers and combat
- Use your hacking skills to experience the memories of the world, solve puzzles, and glimpse into the past...and future
- Beautiful comic book-inspired 2D meets 3D aesthetics
- A vast world to explore filled with unique zones and grotesque creatures, filled with secrets
- AAA voice cast, including David Hayter (Solid Snake) as the voice of The Whisper, as well as Christopher Randolph and Jennifer Hale.
- Hand-drawn Cutscenes mixed with 3D cinematic inserts
- Upgradable skill-trees; choose your gameplay style and master it.
- Customize the Whisper's home base, and unlock lore and other trophies.
The game is developed by French studio The Shady Gentlemen, and publishing assistance from Top Hat Studios, Inc. Additional images, such as full resolution screenshots and key arts/logos, can be found attached.
Links:
About The Shady Gentlemen
The Shady Gentlemen is a french creative studio comprised of Yoann Peter, Etienne Vrithof, and Jeremy Hagry. The studio has worked together on the SteamDolls graphic novel prior, and has developed other titles, including for VR in the past.
About Top Hat Studios, Inc.
Top Hat Studios is your favorite publisher of fine indie delicacies, primarily supporting Japanese-inspired, retro-themed, and highly creative titles. As a company started by and working with grassroots developers and incubating developer talent, Top Hat Studios focuses on supporting games all the way from blockbuster productions through to niche and boutique experimentations.
Top Hat Studios' diverse portfolio includes hits such as Crypt Custodian, Alisa, Athenian Rhapsody, Frogun, Ova Magica, SONZAI, Labyrinth of the Demon King, and many more. Unique in its relationship to its partnered developers, Top Hat Studios is more than just a publisher but rather a strategic long-term partner, and provides a suite of resources to its developers, which include publishing, business development, corporate advisory, product & long-term strategy, creative media, tools, co-development, and engineering & porting expertise working with all major engines and codebases.
