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Look, it's not that I don't want to write about Screenbound, the upcoming puzzle platformer developed by Crescent Moon Games and Radical Forge, I'd just much rather be playing it, all things being equal. But Screenbound isn't out quite yet, so the best I can do is evangelize it while recalling the highs of navigating two retro screens at once while attempting to parse its colorful, deadly world.
If you've not seen the previously viral trailers, Screenbound is… well, the name gives it away, actually. The player discovers a strange Game Boy-like device – a Qboy – that functions as a 2D approximation of the 3D world you're moving around in. Or rather, it's the opposite, as the developers keep telling me: the 2D comes first, and the 3D is procedurally generated from that.
Shift your perspective
Try not to get too distracted as you explore the five-dimensional world of Screenbound
"The way that we think of it is it's going back to nostalgia and playing those old-school platformer games like Alex Kidd and Mario," says Will Buckle, producer on Screenbound, "but also mixing in the puzzle side of like Solomon's Quest, which I think is called Simon's Quest in the US, [Ed. note: It's possible Will meant Solomon's Key or Castlevania here as both would apply.] but really sort of bring that together – but then having a 3D perspective as well."
Basically, whatever you do is mirrored; move forward on the 2D screen of the Qboy, move forward in the greater 3D world. Jump in both, hit in both, and so on. It's a bit of a mind-melter to contemplate, especially given there are ladders, doors, and other objects like coins that are specific to 3D or 2D. It's all about timing, perspective, and logic in addition to a good deal of luck.
It's a lot, which is probably why one of the very first things I'm tasked with while playing is to actually position the Qboy and its screen. Screenbound seems to know that having it takeup prime real estate, wherever that might be for the individual player, could end up being troublesome. So rather than locking the screen to one specific section like some kind of digital Nintendo DS, I'm able to shove it into a corner and squint to try to process multiple planes of existence at once.
If this sounds difficult, it is. But it also quickly becomes second nature. While playing at GDC 2026, I'm able to nail tricky jumps, suss out hidden platforms, and more within 30 minutes. A lot of work specifically went into making Screenbound this way, according to Buckle, with comfortability being a core guiding light.
"It was really hard to get the marriage of the 2D and 3D to feel comfortable and get into a place of gameplay in which it doesn't alienate one or the other," he says. "Because you could just make a 3D game with a 2D viewfinder. You could just make a 2D game with 3D stuff that just happens but doesn't have any effect on what you're baking."
"But we had to really marry those two elements together, and that has been the core statement while we've been working," he adds, "is 'Does this feel fun to play? Does it feel comfortable to play?' And when we give it to a novice, can they just pick it up?"
While I might not be a novice, I did just pick it up. It feels both fun and comfortable to play. In fact, if I had my way, I'd love to be feeling just how comfortable it is right this very moment.
Screenbound is set to release for the Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC in 2026. For now, be sure to check out our ranking of the best adventure games.
