Iconoclasts (video game)
A 2D metroidvania with over twenty bosses and a deep plot.
Iconoclasts is a 2D platform game with metroidvania elements developed by Swedish developer Joakim "Konjak" Sandberg and published by Bifrost Entertainment. It was released for multiple platforms beginning in January 2018, following an eight-year development period that started in 2010. The game is notable for its emphasis on boss battles, with over twenty different bosses, and a detailed plot involving a mechanic named Robin who fights against a religious authority called the One Concern.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Iconoclasts
- Developer
- Konjak
- Publisher
- Bifrost Entertainment
- Designer
- Joakim Sandberg
- Platforms
- Linux · macOS · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation Vita · Windows · Nintendo Switch · Xbox One
- Released
- Linux, macOS, PS4, Vita, Windows / January 23, 2018 / Switch / August 2, 2018 / Xbox One / January 23, 2020
- Genre
- Platform
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Iconoclasts was in development since 2010, initially called Ivory Springs, then The Iconoclasts. Its existence was revealed in 2011. In 2015, it was announced for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita with assistance from Bifrost Entertainment AS. The game was released for Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Windows in January 2018, for Nintendo Switch in August 2018, and for Xbox One in January 2020. A version for Amazon Luna was made available on October 20, 2020. The soundtrack, composed by Joakim Sandberg, was released February 1, 2018. A demo was released on the game's official website.
The gameplay involves exploring, fighting enemies, and solving environmental puzzles using Robin's tools, which include a wrench, stun-gun, roller bomb shot, and usurper shot. Characters Mina, Royal, and Elro join Robin's party at certain times. Robin can craft Tweaks from materials found in treasure chests, which provide gameplay bonuses but break upon taking damage and must be repaired. The plot follows Robin, an unregistered mechanic, as she is labeled a criminal by the One Concern and forced to fight back, eventually confronting the Starworm, a spacefaring entity worshipped as a god.
Reader's Guide
Iconoclasts is significant as a long-gestating indie title that spent eight years in development before its 2018 release. The game received "generally favorable" reviews on Metacritic, with previews called "impressive" by Andy Chalk of PC Gamer and the demo's action described as "spectacular and tactical" by Graham Smith of Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Its legacy lies in its combination of platforming, puzzle-solving, and a narrative that explores themes of religious authority, environmental exploitation, and personal rebellion. The game's multiple platform releases, including a later Amazon Luna version, helped it reach a broad audience. The detailed plot, with over twenty bosses and a cast of characters including Robin, Mina, Royal, and Elro, distinguishes it from simpler platformers of the era.
Did You Know?
- Iconoclasts was originally called Ivory Springs, then The Iconoclasts.
- The game uses Construct Classic as its engine.
- Robin's wrench can be used to turn bolts, grapple, and electrify other tools or objects.
- The Starworm is revealed to be a vehicle piloted by a large birdlike alien.
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