The Eternal Life Of Goldman: A Stunning Nightmare in 16-Bit Glory

THQ Nordic has just announced The Eternal Life Of Goldman, a hand-drawn platformer developed by Weappy, the team behind This Is The Police and Hollywood Animal. I recently caught a glimpse of this game in a brief presentation, and I have to say, it looks incredibly promising. Imagine a blend of the cheery 16-bit charm of Disney’s Aladdin on the Sega Genesis, mixed with the dark, atmospheric vibes of Blasphemous and the chaotic worldbuilding of Rick & Morty. That’s the kind of wild ride The Eternal Life Of Goldman seems to be offering.

Set in a twisted colonial fantasy world, the game features gorgeously grotesque animated backdrops and foregrounds, all painstakingly hand-drawn frame by frame. The developers have made it clear that they didn’t rely on generative AI for any of the art, which adds to the game’s unique, handcrafted feel. The world of The Eternal Life Of Goldman draws inspiration from ancient Greek, Jewish, and Mesopotamian folklore, serving as a backdrop for a narrative that’s a deep dive into the many facets of mortality.

You play as Goldman, a stubborn old adventurer armed with a cane that can be upgraded with Metroid-esque gadgets like a laser pointer. He also has an AOE singing ability that’s reminiscent of the chanting in Abe’s Odyssey. The game is a precision platformer, though Weappy has aimed to create an experience that’s less punishing than titles like Super Meat Boy. They want to reward players for exploring the world without forcing them into tedious backtracking.

There’s a deliciously dark edge to the game’s mechanics. For example, you can drag screeching apes in cages around to use as platforms. There are also bizarre, possibly organic, grinning balloons that you can latch onto during platforming sequences, pulling their faces into a frown as you do so. These balloons are eerily reminiscent of Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders, where you climb and jump across floating bits of Genie anatomy. Then there are accordion-like structures of wood and cloth that you can pull out to create new paths. While this might sound whimsical, in the brutal context of The Eternal Life Of Goldman, it feels more like you’re tugging on a flap of skin than rearranging stage props.

As you progress through the game, the environments become increasingly nightmarish. The trailer shows steampunk cities guarded by clanking robot enforcers and a boss that’s a three-headed, fire-breathing gargoyle woman with serrated fangs. For those of us who have a knack for finding horror elements even in the most seemingly innocent games, this is incredibly exciting.

There’s no release date yet, but you can check out more about The Eternal Life Of Goldman on Steam. It’s shaping up to be a beautifully twisted addition to the platformer genre, and I, for one, can’t wait to dive into its nightmare world.