Elementallis is coming to PC and consoles on April 28

Top-down action-adventure game Elementallis is launching on April 28 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. Developer AnKae Games and publisher Top Hat Studios confirmed the release date, which follows a successful Kickstarter campaign that began in 2021.

The game relies heavily on the classic 2D Zelda formula. You explore a grid-based overworld, fight enemies with a sword and shield, and clear dungeons to acquire new abilities. The primary mechanic revolves around elemental magic. You restore elements like Fire, Water, and Electricity, then use those powers to interact with the environment.

Puzzles and progression

The elemental system drives both combat and puzzle-solving. Fire can burn vegetation or exploit specific enemy weaknesses. Water grows plants to create bridges or platforms. The game has eight distinct biomes and eight temples. Progression takes a Metroidvania approach. Acquiring a new element allows you to return to older areas and bypass previously impassable obstacles.

AnKae Games is essentially a solo project by Barcelona-based developer Iván Ruiz Lozano. He started working on the game in late 2019. A 2021 Kickstarter campaign raised over €110,000 from nearly 3,000 backers. Publisher Top Hat Studios stepped in to handle the full multiplatform launch. The map design uses multiple floors for its dungeons. Players must navigate vertical layers to find keys and reach the boss rooms. The UI directly mimics the classic Link's Awakening or Oracle of Ages map screens, right down to the square room grid and floor selection toggles.

Guilt and restoration

The narrative premise puts the player character at fault for the state of the world. As a descendant of elementallists, your past actions caused the elements to go wild and destabilize the environment. The story frames the quest to conquer the eight temples as a journey to amend those mistakes. You travel across the lands of Elregir with an elemental companion to restore balance.

This adds a slight twist to the standard chosen-hero trope. You are fixing a mess you helped create. You do not wake up one day to fight an ancient evil that suddenly returned. The story focuses on themes of growth and overcoming personal guilt.

Real-time combat

Combat requires swapping between elements on the fly. Enemies have specific elemental weaknesses, so relying entirely on the base sword attack will not work for every encounter. You have to combine different elemental attacks to clear rooms efficiently. For example, you can cast a fireball to set enemies ablaze or use electricity to stun them before moving in with melee attacks. The boss fights follow a similar logic. You usually need the dungeon's specific element to expose a weak point before you can deal actual damage.

The game uses a modernized pixel art style. It retains the blocky, tile-based look of 16-bit handheld games but adds modern lighting effects and particle systems for the magic attacks. The visual approach is similar to other recent retro-inspired games that want the aesthetic of a Game Boy Advance title without the actual hardware limitations. Shadows stretch dynamically across the dungeon floors, and water reflects the surrounding environment.

Multiplatform launch

The game is a simultaneous multiplatform release. It will hit Steam, GOG, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on the same day. You do not need to buy it on PC if you prefer to play on a television.

The top-down adventure space is crowded, but games that actually commit to the classic eight-dungeon structure are less common than rogue-lites or farming simulators. You can find more details on the official website before the game drops on April 28.