Metroidvania Akatori Launches on Steam With Staff Combat and Five Worlds
The staggered release schedule, with the PC version arriving first and console versions following within a week, suggests a deliberate platform rollout that may test the game's reception before expanding to other systems.
Key Facts
- Akatori launched on PC via Steam on August 6, 2026, priced at 1,999 yen with a 15% discount to 1,699 yen until August 13.
- The game features five worlds with different environments, including floating structures and underground cemeteries.
- The staff weapon enables combat, gliding, sliding, and solving stage gimmicks.
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One versions are scheduled for release on August 12, 2026.
- A Nintendo Switch 2 version is planned for release in 2027.
Reporting from 2 sources: Automaton, Game Spark.
Contrast Games released the Metroidvania action game Akatori on PC via Steam on August 6. The game is priced at 1,999 yen, with a 15% launch discount bringing it to 1,699 yen until August 13. Players control Mako, a martial monk girl raised in the temple of the Fire Bird, who wields a staff containing a mysterious red bird to fight the Amber Storm, a force that erodes and distorts all living things. The adventure spans five worlds with distinct environments, including floating structures and underground cemeteries. The staff serves multiple functions: it is a weapon for combat, a tool for movement such as gliding and sliding, and a device for solving stage gimmicks and finding hidden areas. Players can learn techniques like launching enemies into the air for aerial combos or throwing the staff like a boomerang. Boss battles vary, with some featuring multiple phases, rhythm game-style challenges, or underwater escape sequences. The game also includes a shop where players can spend collected amber crystals on useful items. The Japanese language is supported. Console versions for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One are scheduled for August 12, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version planned for 2027.
Akatori is published by Games Harbor and Esprit Games, with development by Contrast Games. The game blends pixel art with 3D models, a visual style the sources describe as combining vivid dot art with smooth 3D rendering. The soundtrack adapts to on-screen action, shifting between intense battle music and quieter moments.
The staff is central to both combat and exploration. It can be used to glide from high places, slide down steep slopes, and operate mechanisms that reveal hidden locations. The red bird sealed within the staff has an unknown purpose, but it assists Mako both as a weapon and as a tool for traversing the world. Over 20 types of regular enemies and numerous unique bosses appear across the five worlds.
The Amber Storm is both a curse and a source of precious crystals, which serve as the foundation of civilization. Players collect these crystals to purchase items at shops. The story follows Mako and the bird through trials involving inner strength and fate. The sources agree on the core details, though Automaton emphasizes the movement mechanics while Game Spark highlights the visual and audio design.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.