Joakim Sandberg has been working on his 2D metroidvania-style action-platformer Iconoclasts by himself since 2010 (and had it planned for years before that). Once you see how vibrant its pixel art is and how luscious its world is you understand where all that time has gone.
Previously, Sandberg had confirmed Iconoclasts for PC only, but now he’s announced that he’s teamed up with Bifrost Entertainment to bring it to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. There has been no date given as to when that might be but hopefully, given that it’s been five years already, it’ll be soon.
Iconoclasts has you playing as a 17-year-old orphan called Robin who works as a private mechanic for peaceful villagers, always seen carrying her big wrench around. Unfortunately, Robin is put into a predicament as the world’s religious authority One Concern has made tampering with machines illegal.
Robin sets out with some friends to find out why that is as well as to help out the people that One Concern has no problem bossing around. The consequent journey has you solving puzzles, beating up enemies with the wrench and a modified stun gun, and taking on big bosses in between free-flowing platform areas.
“Since I was very young, I’ve wanted to make a game that mixes a bit of Metroid Fusion and Monster World IV; an action-filled adventure with a strong narrative, and also a bunch of world-building and discovery. I always loved the mix of charm and emotion in Final Fantasy IX and wanted a sprinkling of that feeling in the game’s characters, as well,” Sandberg says.
Iconoclasts is his answer to that dream. If you’d like, you can try out the 2012 demo of Iconoclasts for PC to get a feel for it. It’s available on Sandberg’s website.
