Studio Lifeforms’ upcoming action-adventure game Etre has drawn praise for its distinctive visuals, described by PC Gamer as among the most stunning art styles seen this year.
The LA-based developer revealed a narrative-driven action game set on Orbis, which it describes as “a planet-scale alien mind on the brink of awakening”. Players take control of a character named Xyle, who arrives at this sentient cityscape in search of his soulmate Atel.
According to Studio Lifeforms, Etre’s distinctive visuals were inspired by graphic novels from the ’70s and ’80s. The studio did not specify which titles influenced the game’s look.
The result is a highly stylized aesthetic that PC Gamer compares to games such as Control and other visually distinct titles, though it notes Etre applies its approach “to a much more grounded type of game.”
From a gameplay standpoint, Studio Lifeforms cites Remedy Entertainment’s Control as the primary influence. The game allows players to explore Orbis in a semi-open fashion, with the story shaped by their actions on the planet.
Like Control, Etre features movement-based combat and includes unusual enemies such as environmental anomalies and “living geometry.”
The PC Gamer author noted that while the art style is compelling, the combat shown in clips on the Steam page “looks a little flat,” contrasting it with how Control delivered both its strange setting and satisfying destruction.
Studio Lifeforms has not yet announced a release date for Etre. The report expects the game to arrive sometime next year.
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