We’re into the final week of September and the video games have been coming so thick and fast that it’s hard to keep up. One such game — indie Soulslike Fountains — released just last week on 17th September, although perhaps missing out on day one wasn’t such a bad thing in this case: a free Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack has appeared on the eShop which adds 120fps support. Larvely.
With a top-down view and a pixel-art aesthetic reminiscent of Hyper Light Drifter, Fountains is the work of Canada-based solo dev John Pywell, who started development back in 2020 before a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2022.
The game launched in December 2024 on Steam and Dark Souls is evidently a massive inspiration – the large overworld, unforgiving combat, and the ability to leave online messages all come straight out of FromSoft’s playbook.
With a dash of Metroidvania and some Hollow Knight thrown in for good measure (“The main battle mechanic of hitting enemies to regain your magic resource was shamelessly stolen from Hollow Knight,” Pywell told Xbox Wire recently), it’s certainly hitting all the touchstones if you’re after engaging, explorative, unforgiving action. Hmm, do you hit touchstones? You do on Friday afternoon after a long week, friends.
Here’s a little excerpt from the official blurb to give some more flavour, plus some screens:
FOUNTAINS is a soulslike action-RPG built around fighting your way through a maze-like interconnected, seamless world. You’ll take the role of a hooded stranger, recently imprisoned by a tyrannical regime. Will you escape and uncover the mysteries of this war-torn empire?
Demanding, but fair combat
Tight, responsive combat puts every tool and tactic in your arsenal to the test, rewarding precision and quick thinking. Your enemies will hit hard and punish hesitation, turning each fight into an intense back-and-forth where the tide of battle can shift in an instant. Adjustable difficulty settings let you feel that thrill at exactly the intensity you crave, no matter your experience.
Exploration that rewards curiosity
The world of FOUNTAINS is one, seamless, giant dungeon. It is a tightly packed labyrinth which twists and loops back on itself. You’ll always discover something new: items, powers and upgrades to unlock new parts of the world.
Leave Your Mark
FOUNTAINS features an online message system. Leave hints throughout the world to help out your fellow players, or trick them into doing something foolish!
Images: Crunching Koalas
As well as 120fps, the Switch 2 version includes an exclusive “Gauntlet Mode” which is definitely not just a posh name for ‘Boss Rush’.
It’ll set you back $14.99 / £13.49 on the eShop, although there’s a cheeky little 10% discount for a couple of weeks. The game is currently rocking a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam (from 432 reviews), and we’d love to hear your thoughts below if you’ve played it, or if you’re picking up what it’s putting down.