This Metroidvania had my curiosity after boasting of an Elden Ring-sized map, now it has my attention after showing off some slick JRPG and Soulslike elements

It was bold of Fallen Tear: The Ascension to say it "may be the Elden Ring of Metroidvania in terms of map size" last year, and from that moment the game – which was already on my Steam wishlist – has been on my radar as it moves toward a to-be-announced release date. A new showcase from developer Winter Crew, released on the heels of word of Xbox backing the project, has only fanned the flames of my curiosity by showing off ideas proudly inspired by JRPGs and Soulslikes.

I was getting some JRPG vibes from Fallen Tear's party system, and it turns out it's even more reminiscent than I thought. Shapeshifting protagonist Hira encounters a range of "Fated Bond" characters who will join your party once you clear their recruitment quest. In this case, rather than a selection of on-field fighters, your party is essentially a bunch of backup singers who'll pop out to do a quick solo when you map them to one of your four ability slots. (Apparently there are 23 combinations of characters, and I'm not entirely sure if the dev means that there are 23 individual Fated Bonds.) You're always playing as Hira, but the Fated Bonds you bring with you can affect combat and exploration in what seems like a big way. 

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Winter Crew notes that not all Fated Bonds affect combat – helping some characters will open up map-unveiling towers, for instance – and those that do may do so in different ways. The game's 150+ enemies have elemental weaknesses, so the fiery ability of Bjorn the Chef deals extra damage to a fire-weak boss called the Shroom Lord. It sounds like a fun balance of skills, buffs, debuffs, and direct attacks, with Fated Bonds adding another level of customization beyond the multiple skill trees available to Hira. 

A familiar Soulslike vibe creeps in around 5 minutes into the gameplay showcase, with Winter Crew giving a nod to the tried-and-true bonfire system of checkpoints. Rather than Souls-standard parries and ripostes, however, Fallen Tear gives players a backstep and counter attack for tightly timed critical hits. Further still, bosses have an "Endure" meter that, once broken by landing attacks, stuns them and leaves them vulnerable for a few precious seconds of damage. I've heard this song before, and it sounds nice every time. 

This is a small point, but I'm also immensely relieved to see that, based on this footage, bosses don't have persistent damage hitboxes, meaning you aren't punished for bumping into them. That's a pet peeve of mine in 2D games, so this is a load off my mind for this one. 

Fallen Tear: The Ascension continues to look lovely, and director Stephen Manalastas tells me it's targeting all platforms. 

This dark fantasy Metroidvania hooked me in 30 seconds, and some other people too since it's 285% Kickstarter funded after 3 days.