Studio Lifeforms is developing Etre, a third-person action adventure that tasks players with exploring a sentient cosmic entity, solving spatial puzzles, and engaging in combat as they search for their lost love and determine what a new intelligence will become.
The game casts you as Xyle, a caped starjumper with iridescent skin who journeys to Orbis, a planet-sized megamind on the verge of consciousness, in search of his soulmate Atel. The visual aesthetic draws heavily from 1970s and 1980s European graphic novels alongside the more structured look of Remedy's Control, creating a vibrant, eye-catching world of luminous architecture and neon-hued environments.
Exploration and Combat in an Alien World
Orbis is far more than a collection of pulsating neural tissue. The cosmic intelligence hosts entire civilizations, including two factions locked in conflict with one another. A corrupted network of "angel tech" has spawned hostile "living geometry" that actively opposes your progress. Combat emphasizes fluidity, requiring you to exploit terrain features and learn enemy behaviours to succeed. As you advance, you acquire new abilities that unlock access to previously unreachable areas, creating a progression loop reminiscent of Metroid Prime and similar exploration-focused action games.
Scanning objects throughout your journey reveals lore documents and provides insight into the awakening psyche you traverse. This mechanic reinforces the sense of discovery and world-building as Orbis gradually gains consciousness around you.
Shaping a World's Destiny
Your choices and discoveries directly influence Orbis's transformation. The game presents multiple possible outcomes: the cosmic intelligence could become a living world brought back into balance, ascend into a transcendent god-mind, or evolve into something far more terrifying. This branching narrative structure gives weight to player agency throughout the experience.
The game's tone and atmosphere recall Double Fine's Psychonauts series, which similarly explores surreal inner worlds requiring intervention and adjustment to restore wellness. However, Etre operates on a grander scale, with the stakes involving an entire planetary consciousness rather than individual minds.
The visual design emphasizes colour and otherworldly beauty, drawing inspiration from visionary science fiction artwork while maintaining the action-oriented gameplay structure established by titles like Control. This combination creates a distinctive aesthetic that stands apart from more conventional action games.
Studio Lifeforms has not yet announced a release date for Etre. The game is planned for PC via Steam.
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