Indie games are the lifeblood of gaming. They are crafted for the love of gaming as a whole, and they face trials and tribulations due to their nature. And now, after 10 years, a small indie team called Studio Atma has officially announced on May 28 that their Science-Fiction turn-based JRPG, Gravastar, which was inspired by 2D fighter games, will be coming to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5. And Xbox Series X. And with this announcement, we get a trailer. There is no official release date, but you can wishlist the game on Steam.
So what exactly is GravaStar? Well, as mentioned before, it’s a science-fiction turn-based JRPG inspired by 2D fighter games, developed by a small indie team using the Unity engine. The game’s combat sets it apart from other JRPGs with its attack-combo input system. In the game, you will play as Baird, an orphan on the exoplanet Aethera, who recently finds out he’s a Specter violently, as Specters are rare and have powers that are tied to the power of the stars. You will journey across Aethera and meet new companions, explore the world, harness your newfound power of the stars, and save it from a fanatic zealot who wants to plunge the universe into darkness. The campaign will be story-driven, with over 15 hours of classic JRPG gameplay.

Some other features of the game include combat, unleashing the power of the stars with devastating combos and powerful spells on your enemies, and a “unique and fast-paced conditional-turn-based battle system” inspired by 2D fighter games. You will play Bird and encounter 5 playable companions as you all race to save the universe from darkness. The game itself is a stylistic 3D animation in the style of traditional 2D animation. Hand-painted textures to combine and recreate that JRPG nostalgic aesthetic of the 16- and 32- bit era, just with a modern HD facelift. The game is developed by industry veterans “who write only the most efficient and optimized code.”

From just this announcement alone, GravaStar looks to be a promising title with its nostalgic JRPG feel and its 2D inspiration. This title looks to be hitting home for many. It’s crazy that this game has been in development for 10 years, but it’s the nature of the beast for those who strive to bring their vision to life. It’s extremely commendable, and it shows in how this game looks fun and nostalgic, and is built with pure love for the craft. GravaStar doesn’t have a release date yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam once its page goes live. Check out the trailer and give the game a shot; it looks like it brings you back to the good old days of gaming.