With new Steam games being released constantly, fans of virtually every genre are given more reasons to expand their wishlists with each passing day. Dozens of soulslikes, friendslop titles, and casual games pop up on Steam every year, and the platformer genre is no different. Solarium was a perfect example of how to combine major influences — Hollow Knight and Sekiroin that game's case, can create a solid product. And now there is Tootumwhich takes the first of these influences and merges it with Dead cells and Ori creating what might just be a platformer's dream come true.
Given the size of Team Cherry and the remarkable success Hollow Knight franchise, it's no surprise that many indie developers have aspired to follow in its footsteps. Some mimic the eye-catching bug creatures Hollow Knight universe, and other the game, but Tootum is a little different. Outside of its key art, its visuals don't really have one Hollow Knight vibe, while its metroidvania gameplay actually delivers Dead cells vibes more than anything else. Instead it is Tootums approach to storytelling as Hollow Knightt fans could appreciate, while a ghostly white creature that accompanies the main character can evoke feelings of Ori (as well as the generally sweet atmosphere of the world). With so many great inspirations and a solo developer to ensure that Tootum is a passion project with no outside influence, Steam users should consider taking a closer look.
TootumThe Steam page gives the game a release date of May 27, so metroidvania fans won't have to wait long to try it out.
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Tootum features at a glance
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SOLVE a mysterious story by putting together small details, making different choices and experiencing three endings.
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UPGRADE your character to unlock new paths.
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BUILD your character in completely different ways to allow for distinct play styles.
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FIGHT an array of fantastic enemies, from slimes and dragons to a giant creature made of stone.
A handcrafted pixel art Metroidvania that mixes deep exploration with rogue-like progression. Discover secrets, develop your construction and face a world where every choice can lead to one of three endings.
Tootum perfectly combines Indie Charm with Metroidvania Depth
Slightly silly sounding title and banger theme music aside (seriously, listen to the trailer), Tootum clearly has a lot to offer players. Gameplay-wise, it promises a healthy amount of enemy variety, builds that really change the way the game is played, challenging platforming, and rewarding exploration. As with most metroidvania games, as players progress and unlock permanent upgrades for the hero, they will be able to traverse areas that would have been previously inaccessible. This improves replayability and gives players a reason to explore every nook and cranny, which they'll definitely want to do if they want to experience it all Tootums narration.
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Identify the wrapper while scraping off as little foil as possible.
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Identify the wrapper while scraping off as little foil as possible.
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While Hollow Knight had a lot going for it, from its art and music to its movement system and bosses, its adoption of the FromSoftware approach to storytelling made it a game that lived on after the credits rolled. After finishing the story and getting one of the Hollow Knights end, players will likely have been inspired to seek out the others, which will inevitably have led them down a rabbit hole full of dialogue analysis, object description theorizing, and more. If the game turns out to be a hit, the story being intentionally mysterious could be a boon and keep fans talking for a long time to come. Add quickly, Dead cells-like upgrades, a mysterious creature with Oris signature glow and a hand-crafted pixel art world that's sure to be nostalgic for old-school gamers, and it seems Tootum has everything it needs to be an indie darling.
If you are interested in Tootum, don't wait to pull the trigger
While it's common for early asset Steam titles to increase in price over time, encouraging players to buy into the earliest versions of a game, it's slightly less common for a full release to offer a launch week discount. Based on the Steam page for Tootumbut it could follow that path, as developer Douglas Oliveira suggests it “might” happen. Obviously, plans can change and this discount may not actually appear – the size of said discount, like the price of the game, is also a mystery – but on the off chance that it does, it's worth wishlisting the game and keeping an eye out for its May 27 launch. TootumThe developer obviously appreciates this kind of story, as the game will feature multiple endings as well as lore that is composed through environmental stories and item descriptions.
