Altered Alma

What Is Altered Alma?

Altered Alma is a pixel-art cyberpunk metroidvania from 2Awesome Studio that blends fast-paced combat with RPG progression and dating sim elements. Set in Neo Barcelona, a neon-soaked cityscape ruled by gangs and criminal kingpins, you play as Jack, a fighter navigating a violent underworld where every alley holds a secret and every choice shapes your relationships.

The game launched a Kickstarter campaign and was featured at IGN's Secret Sauce Showcase 2026, where a demo trailer revealed its slick pixel animation and combo-driven combat system. Its still in development with a "Coming Soon" release window on Steam. Published by CRITICAL REFLEX, 2Awesome Studio is known for their work on previous pixel-art action titles.

How to Play Altered Alma

Altered Alma follows the classic metroidvania loop with its own twists. You explore interconnected zones, unlock new abilities that open previously inaccessible paths, and take on bosses that gate your progress.

Core Loop:

1. Explore Neo Barcelona's districts, from the glittering upper city to the toxic slums
2. Fight through gang territories using Jack's expanding moveset
3. Upgrade your abilities by finding power-ups and spending skill points
4. Build relationships with NPCs through the dating sim system, unlocking side stories and perks
5. Take down bosses to progress the story and unlock new areas

Neo Barcelona Districts

The city is split into several distinct zones, each with its own aesthetic, enemy types, and secrets:

• The Glimmer — The wealthy upper district. Low enemy density but high security. Early game area with basic tutorials.
• The Arteries — Mid-level transit hubs connecting districts. Expect platforming challenges and ambush points.
• The Shallows — Flooded lower districts where water alters movement. New traversal abilities unlock here.
• The Core — The industrial heart of Neo Barcelona. Tougher enemies, complex layouts, and the games most valuable upgrades.
• The Expanse — Beyond the city walls. Optional late-game zone with the hardest challenges and best rewards.

Combat System:

Jack starts with basic light and heavy attacks. As you progress, you unlock combos, special moves, and ranged options. The combat emphasizes flow — chaining attacks together builds momentum and deals bonus damage. Timing your dodges and parries creates openings for devastating counterattacks.

The combo system works on a rhythm mechanic. Land hits in sequence and a multiplier builds. Drop the rhythm and the multiplier resets. Each weapon type has its own combo timing, so finding the weapon that clicks with your playstyle matters.

Weapons fall into three categories:

• Blades — Fast, medium range, good for building combos
• Fists — Short range but high stun, excellent for parry-focused play
• Tech Weapons — Ranged or gimmick weapons that consume energy instead of stamina

Ability Gating:

Like any good metroidvania, Altered Alma locks areas behind ability checks. The standard suite includes a dash for crossing gaps, a wall jump for vertical exploration, a double jump, and a ground pound for breaking through weak floors. Some abilities are tied to story progression, while others require finding hidden upgrade chambers.

Ability gates are color-coded. Blue gates require the dash, green gates need wall jump, red gates need double jump. If you see a gate you cant open, make a mental note and return later. The game rewards backtracking heavily.

RPG Progression:

Defeating enemies and completing quests earns XP. Leveling up gives you skill points to invest in three trees:

• Brawler Tree — Raw damage and health. For players who want to overpower enemies.
• Technical Tree — Combo extensions and timing bonuses. Rewards skilled play.
• Tool Tree — Gadgets, consumable upgrades, and utility items. For creative problem solvers.

Each tree has five tiers. You need to invest a minimum number of points in earlier tiers to unlock later ones. Respeccing is possible at specific NPCs for a currency cost.

Dating Sim Elements:

This is the games standout feature. You can build relationships with multiple characters across Neo Barcelona. Each character has their own schedule, preferences, and story arc.

The system tracks affinity through:

• Dialogue choices — Pick responses that match their personality
• Gifts — Find or craft items they like
• Side quests — Completing personal quests earns big affinity boosts
• Combat assistance — Helping them in fights strengthens bonds

High affinity unlocks:

• Unique combat abilities tied to that character
• Bonus dialogue and story scenes
• Alternative paths through certain areas
• One of multiple endings based on your strongest relationship

Tips and Tricks

Explore Everything Before Moving On. Neo Barcelona rewards thorough exploration. Dead ends often hide health upgrades, currency stashes, or NPCs that only appear once. If you hit a locked door, mark it on your map and come back after the next boss.

Master the Parry Early. The parry window might feel tight at first, but learning it pays off. Parried enemies take extra damage and get stunned, giving you free hits. Practice on basic enemies before taking on bosses. The Training Room in The Glimmer lets you practice without risk.

Balance Combat and Relationship Progression. Dont ignore the dating sim side. Relationships unlock combat perks and passive bonuses that make fights easier. But spending too much time on social links can leave you underleveled for story fights. Alternate between fighting and bonding.

Invest in Mobility Upgrades First. The dash and wall jump arent just for exploration — theyre your best survival tools in combat. Prioritize these upgrades when you find ability shrines.

Watch Enemy Patterns. Each gang type has tells. The Sword Bros wind up before their big swing. The Neon Junkies telegraph their lunges. Learn the rhythms and you can dance around them without taking a hit.

Use the Environment. Theres destructible cover, explosive barrels, and environmental hazards scattered through Neo Barcelona. Lure enemies into oil spills and ignite them. Kick barrels into groups. The combat sandbox rewards creativity.

Save Often. The game has manual save points in safe rooms. Use them. Boss runbacks can be brutal if you skipped a save.

Talk to Everyone After Major Events. NPC dialogue changes after story beats and boss fights. Returning to earlier areas often triggers new dialogue and side quests. Some of the best items are locked behind these conversations.

Prioritize Side Quests. Side quests are the main source of rare upgrade materials and character-specific items. They also provide the bulk of your XP between story missions. Clear available side quests before pushing main story content.

Learn Each Characters Schedule. NPCs in the dating sim arent always available. Check their locations at different times of day. Some characters only appear at night, others only in specific districts.

Dont Hoard Currency. Spend your money on upgrades and gifts. There is no reason to save large amounts — theres no expensive lategame item that requires hoarding.

Experiment with Weapon Types. Each weapon type handles differently. If youre stuck on a boss, try a different weapon category. The Tech weapons in particular can trivialize certain encounters.

FAQ

When will Altered Alma be released? The release date has not been announced yet. The Steam page lists it as "Coming Soon". A demo was shown at IGN's Secret Sauce Showcase in 2026.

What platforms will Altered Alma be on? Currently only Windows is confirmed. Linux and Mac support havent been announced.

Is Altered Alma a dating sim or a metroidvania? Both. The core gameplay is a metroidvania with ability-gated exploration and combat, but the relationship system adds dating sim mechanics that affect story and combat.

How long is Altered Alma? Estimated 15-25 hours for a first playthrough, depending on how much side content and relationship building you do.

Who is the developer? 2Awesome Studio, an indie developer. The game is published by CRITICAL REFLEX.

Will there be a physical release? No word yet on physical copies. Digital release on Steam is confirmed.

Does Altered Alma have difficulty settings? Not confirmed, but the skill tree and relationship perks suggest you can customize your difficulty through upgrades.

Will there be multiple endings? Likely yes. The dating sim mechanics and story choices point toward multiple endings based on your relationships and decisions.

Is there a New Game Plus? Not confirmed, but the skill tree depth suggests NG+ could be a post-launch feature.

Can you romance multiple characters? Yes, but committing to one character locks you into their story path for the ending. You can build relationships with everyone, but the final chapter forces a choice.

System Requirements

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4570 or AMD FX-8350
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon R9 380
• Storage: 4 GB available space

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 10/11
• Processor: Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
• Storage: 4 GB available space