Afterimage is a truly colorful hand-drawn Metroidvania that recently got a new release date reveal.
Afterimage the Hand-Drawn Metroidvania Gets a Release Date
We’re all about exciting Roguelikes and Metroidvanias here at Fextralife (in addition to Soulslikes, of course). We do cherish the biggest indie rockstars, like Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, or even Ori and the Blind Forest.
But we also do appreciate the little guys. Studios that are trying their best to try and capture lightning in a bottle. Those who create with passion and perfection. Today, we take a look at Afterimage.
The Afterimage
Afterimagewas already announced way back in 2021, a bit over a year ago. Back then, it was announced to be released in “late 2022”. It’s already that time, but developers Aurogon Shanghai have decided to postpone it a bit. They did confirm an official release date though: July 04, 2025.
The game is a purely hand-drawn 2D platformermetroidvania, just like the classics. Afterimage takes place in the fantasy land of Engardin, once beautiful and full of wonderful splendor. Massive volcanoes, lush forests, bountiful oceans, and majestic towers were just some of the grandeur that graced this land.
That is, until some unexplainable, cataclysmic event shook the world. Dubbed “The Razing”, this incident nearly wiped out the entire human race. Elemental creatures, rabid beasts, and other corrupted individuals will be the least of your worries in Afterimage. Our heroine, Renee, is the only one brave enough to fight through the darkness and seek the truth of the destruction.
Features and Gameplay
Afterimage is true to its genre. It promises to have “non-linear” exploration, hopefully meaning that we can truly explore different areas in different orders, and not just set foot in them only to find out we need an upgrade or ability to proceed.
All in all, the game will initially have 15 different areas that have different themes. Essentially, this means that were will be tons of biomes to explore, each with their own enemies to fell and secrets to unlock.
Speaking of enemies, Renee will also make a lot of friends along the way. How exactly these NPCs will help us is anyone’s guess right now. We do know that one family in particular, the Derricks, is a merry band of chefs. These culinary masters are in constant search for any legendary recipes. Renee will be generously rewarded for turning any of these into the Derricks.
Combat Perfected
The fighting (and even the art style) in Afterimage looks to be quite similar to Ender Lilies. As such, it will be a bit more nuanced and slower compared to things like Dead Cells.
Renee can choose to carry two main weapons (there are 5 types in total) and one sub-weapon. Each main weapon will grant her different attack abilities to use in combat. Right now, the primary weapons look to be a katana, a longsword, a greatsword, a rapier, and a scythe. Sub-weapons, on the other hand, have various combat buffs or other minor perks.
For the more magically inclined adventurer, Afterimage also got us covered! We will have various forms of upgradable spells to douse our enemies in flames and fury.
Afterimage also won’t have a super traditional leveling system. Renee will gain skill points by actually defeating enemies, or by filling up her bestiary, similar toFractured Online. This skill tree will contain nodes related to all of Renee’s powers: stats, weapon skills, and passive skills.
Kickstarting the Afterimage
Afterimage is also another entry in a long list of Kickstarter success stories like the upcoming indie gameSea of Stars, theElden Ring Boardgame, or the tactical RPGKing Arthur: Knight’s Tale. Their campaign kicked off on August 23, 2025, with a very humble goal of $15,000. While they were not able to reach all of their stretch goals, the developers were able to secure just above $93,000. 2573 backers helped make this dream a reality.
This figure was enough to secure most of their goals. This will give players new areas, a boss rush mode, Japanese, Chinese, and English voice dubbing, new game+, and even an additional playable character.
A demo is also currently available on Steam
Metroidvania Mania
Be sure to check out some of our other highly anticipated Metroidvanias!
For more news, check outLost Ark Kicks Off 2023 With a 4-Month RoadmapandElden Ring Digital Edition Go On Sale for the First Time Ever.
