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Stela Announced (Cinematic Platformer) by Skybox Labs (Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, Halo Infinite) [Update: Out Now on Apple Arcade, Oct 17th for XB1]

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Dancrane212

Dancrane212

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Oct 25, 2017
13,962
STELA_05-1200x675.png

STELA_04-1024x576.png


Revealed today as a part of today's ID@Xbox announcements but, as a huge fan of cinematic platformers, I wanted to highlight this specific title.



Official Site: https://skyboxlabs.com/games/stela/

Stela is a cinematic, atmospheric platformer about a young woman witnessing the final days of a mysterious ancient world.

Overcome daunting challenges, treacherous terrain, and gargantuan beasts while traversing a decaying land. Manipulate the environment to solve elaborate puzzles and creep past dangerous creatures under cover of muted landscapes, all set to an original soundtrack. Survive sweeping environments including mysterious towns, haunting forests, and massive subterranean ruins brought to life in an atmospheric experience.
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10k said:
What exactly is a cinematic platformer? A platformer with narrative? Like Fe or Ori?
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Ichtyander put it best on the old site.

Cinematic platformers are action adventure platformers with a strong emphasis on realism, cinematic presentation, detailed character animations, trial and error gameplay and a minimalistic approach to storytelling.
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No news on other platforms or (if any) exclusivity details.
 
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kadotsu

kadotsu

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Oct 25, 2017
3,505
It's beautiful but I have seen every theme, environment and style in other games before.
 
Adulfzen

Adulfzen

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Oct 29, 2017
3,606
the part where the wooden floor breaks seems really blatant, then again i don't mind other games trying to copy what Inside did since this is a fantastic game but this doesn't seem to be animated as well nor does it seem as intriguing.
 
Sleepwalker

Sleepwalker

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Oct 29, 2017
473
I'd steer clear of depicting forest environments in promo material lol, that first image looks straight up ripped from Inside. Other than that, it looks pretty interesting, I'll keep an eye out for it.
 
cowbanana

cowbanana

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Feb 2, 2018
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a Socialist Utopia
NIce music in the trailer, I really liked it.

But the game... eh, looks like a cinematic platformer greatest hits remix. If the game has something unique to offer the trailer didn't show it.
 
christocolus

christocolus

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Oct 27, 2017
14,932
The art style is interesting. reminds me a lot of Inside, which is one of the best games I've ever played so I'm intrigued, just need to know more about it.
 
Procheno

Procheno

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Nov 14, 2018
2,879
"Cinematic platformer" aka artsy fartsy game that focuses on story and presentation rather than having engaging platforming gameplay? :p
 
SuikerBrood

SuikerBrood

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Jan 21, 2018
15,490
Love the choice of music. The game itself could use a little bit more personality, I feel.

Will check it out when it releases.
 
More_Badass

More_Badass

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Oct 25, 2017
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10k said:
What exactly is a cinematic platformer? A platformer with narrative? Like Fe or Ori?
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The original cinematic platfomers were games like Prince of Persia and Another World. Games like Inside and recent Eternal Castle are the current evolution.

Basically, they tend to focus on deliberate traversal and realistic animations, environmental puzzles, minimalist storytelling, scripted set-pieces and scenarios that might evolve some trial-and-error to overcome

The "cinematic" moniker is in contrast to more traditional 2D platformers
 
More_Badass

More_Badass

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Oct 25, 2017
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Daedardus said:
I guess it's more a walking simulator, but that term isn't really seen positively so they name it their own.

I love walking sims though.
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No, it's an old subgenre. The original Prince of Persia was essentially the game that started the genre. Original Tomb Raider is kind of a 3D re-imaging of the genre's tenets, and modern games like Inside and Little Nightmares are the current versions
 
RM8

RM8

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Oct 28, 2017
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Cinematic platformers are platformers with more realistic movement, like classic Prince of Persia as opposed to Mario. Not really cinematic as in narrative driven. That's what I've always thought at least :x
 
More_Badass

More_Badass

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Oct 25, 2017
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RM8 said:
Cinematic platformers are platformers with more realistic movement, like classic Prince of Persia as opposed to Mario. Not really cinematic as in narrative driven. That's what I've always thought at least :x
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Yeah, the "cinematic" part comes more from the realistic movement versus the exaggerated physics of Mario and co, as well as the narrative-driven/set-piece driven pacing compared to the gauntlets and puzzles of regular platformers

At least that's how I always considered them.
 
Vulcano's Assistant

Vulcano's Assistant

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Oct 29, 2017
13,503
theotherMittens said:
I was a literal babby. Don't remember it.

But I have seen videos of it and it looks nice. I never played any of the old examples people have brought up in tbis thread.
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Games like Flashback and Another World are an odd genre nowadays because back then it was them trying to make what today would be Uncharted, but the tech of the time constricted them to 2d sidescrollers with very life-like animation.
 
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Dancrane212

Dancrane212

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Oct 25, 2017
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Preview from Variety.

https://variety.com/2019/gaming/fea...er-stela-focuses-on-depth-mystery-1203170008/

"Typically, cinematic platformers have younger characters with smaller frames, so we wanted our character to have an adult frame so we could pull the camera back a little bit," SkyBox Labs producer Aubrey Tennant tells Variety. "Then we could make our puzzles grander and see more of the environment. We could show more of the world."
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SkyBox Labs, who's also a co-developer for Halo Infinite and Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch, is known for developing larger games with other studios. They took this opportunity to try and build a deeper, more intimate experience. Almost everything I witnessed when playing 'Stela" was shrouded in mystery. I didn't know who the woman was, why the monsters were attacking her, or why the world around her was so big. There wasn't much context available.
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KORNdog

KORNdog

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Oct 30, 2017
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Vulcano's Assistant said:
Games like Flashback and Another World are an odd genre nowadays because back then it was them trying to make what today would be Uncharted, but the tech of the time constricted them to 2d sidescrollers with very life-like animation.
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Plus flashback was a bit more traditional in its gameplay than say, inside or limbo. Flashback fit in amongst games like judge dread, prince of Persia or even Jurassic park imo. But I don't think I would ever lump limbo and inside in with those games...the "cinematic platformer" title definitely feels like something I'd associate with limbo and inside though. Basically just a "run right for 2 hours looking at how pretty it is" type games.
 
Lunaray

Lunaray

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Oct 27, 2017
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Looks good, but I'm a bit burnt out on cinematic platformers after playing Never Alone, Limbo, Inside, Gris and Forgotten Anne all in the last year or so.
 
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