It’s one of the demos available during this Steam Next Fest, and it’s one I’d never seen before. Its unique style, especially the visual design, immediately caught my attention and pushed me to give it a try.
The game is called Dr. Alb’s Prodigy, developed by Super Tiny Studios. It’s an RPG set in a classic post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies and shape-shifting creatures.
You wake up in a lab as some kind of test subject soldier, or something along those lines. After rescuing Dr. Alb, she becomes your main quest-giver, assigning you new missions as you progress.
The game’s structure alternates between exploration phases made up of small zones, each representing enemy encounters or points of interest. During exploration, you’ll collect items to bring back and convert into resources, reinforcing the game’s loop of scavenging and survival.
The combat system is partially real-time: you can dodge incoming ranged attacks with a roll, pick off lone enemies with close-quarters takedowns, or use the various firearms you find during your runs. But when you run into enemy packs or tougher elites, engaging them switches to turn-based combat.
In turn-based battles, you get the classic command menu to choose attacks based on your loadout, plus a timing bar that lets you apply a damage multiplier if you hit it just right.
It basically evokes some of Metaphor: ReFantazio’s mechanics. On top of that, Dr. Alb’s Prodigy keeps the narrative lighthearted, all wrapped in pixel art with notably solid animation work.
Runs are procedurally generated, with progression built around loot and ability upgrades, and there are quests, side missions, and NPCs across a retro-futuristic 2.5D presentation that mixes pixel art with cinematic lighting.
Earlier playtest notes mention iterating on the combat layer, speed-based initiative for abilities, a dodge option, additional handicaps, and an auto-defeat toggle, suggesting a system tuned for pacing and readability rather than raw APM.
There’s no release date yet (on PC via Steam), but it looks like the game will try to offer short, replayable runs, a mixed-pace battle system, and a low-fi art style in a 3D space.
If you like experiments that sit between turn order tactics and light brawler timing, it’s worth grabbing the demo and seeing how the current balance feels. Below is the gameplay trailer.
