Enter a world of discovery as you venture deep below Ospolis in search of Atlantis in The Explorator

News
By published

Nothing is what it seems, as exploring gives way to first-person shooting in this comedic adventure

FGS
(Image credit: Future)

The Explorator is set in a world where generations of brave adventurers have travelled the globe, gathering up ancient relics to prove the existence of long-lost civilizations. In their most daring expedition yet, these Explorators are now heading to the most dangerous island of Ospolis to search for the lost city of Atlantis, which is rumored to lie beneath it. However, as seen during the Future Games Show at Gamescom Presented by Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII, this journey is about to take an unexpected turn.

The action plays out in a juxtaposition of styles, with the locations you're exploring being beautifully rendered in a 3D cell-shaded art style. However, this is suddenly shaken up when your enemies attack, as they appear as 2D hand-crafted animations that are overlaid on the environments.

These enemies are the goblins and monsters that have escaped from deep underground, through the tunnels dug by previous explorers who thought they knew the way to reach the long-forgotten city. Don't be deceived by their (sometimes) cute appearance, as these wobbling, screaming foes are on a mission to defeat you and keep Atlantis hidden.

Article continues below

You'll need to use first-person shooting to blast your way through these enemies, with a wide range of weapons and explosives at your disposal. There are plenty of items to find or buy that will help you on your journey, but you can't take everything with you as the inventory and weight management system will force you to be selective. Battle bizarre creatures, find other explorers to gain their knowledge, and you might just reach your goal of the famous lost city.

The Explorator is targeting an Early Access release on PC in mid-2025, followed by a final release on PC and Xbox Series in 2026. You can wishlist it and play the demo now on Steam to try it for yourself, or follow the Kickstarter to stay updated on the latest developments.

If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.

Iain Wilson
Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 1,000 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.