In an era where many modern titles lean heavily on procedurally generated landscapes and hyper-realistic 3D models, there is something deeply arresting about a game that looks like it was birthed directly from the golden age of animation. The Eternal Life of Goldman, a vibrant, high-stakes platformer that feels less like a piece of software and more like a living, breathing oil painting.
Developed by Weappy Studio and published by THQ Nordic, this title is currently making waves with a demo that proves “old-school” doesn’t have to mean “outdated.” Here is why you need to get this on your wishlist immediately.
A Beautiful Lesson in Hand-Drawn Craft
The first thing that hits you (and it hits bloody hard) is the visual fidelity. Unlike many contemporary “2D” games that use skeletal animation (where parts of a character are moved like puppets), The Eternal Life of Goldman is frame-by-frame, hand-drawn animation. Every flicker of Goldman’s beard and every bizarre contortion of the island’s monsters has been meticulously inked and painted.
The result is a fluid, psychedelic journey through a world inspired by ancient fables and avant-garde art. It’s the kind of game where you might find yourself losing a life simply because you were too busy admiring the way the light filters through the strange, overgrown flora of the Archipelago.
Precision Platforming with a Cheeky Twist
Don’t let the whimsical art style fool you into thinking this is a casual stroll through the park. Goldman is a challenging platformer that demands precision. You play as the titular Goldman, an elderly man armed with a multipurpose upgradable cane, arriving at a mysterious island to kill a Deity.
The gameplay revolves around the “easy to learn, hard to master” philosophy. The cane is your primary tool, used for traversing gaps, bouncing off enemies, and interacting with the environment. It feels tactile and responsive, which is essential because the game avoids the “bloat” often found in the genre. There are no convoluted skill trees or endless upgrades that require hours of grinding. Instead, your progress is tied to your own mechanical skill and how you choose to upgrade your cane to reach new areas.
A World of Surreal Mystery
The narrative is just as eccentric as the visuals. The Archipelago is a place where legends come to life, but they aren’t the friendly fairy tales you remember from childhood. There is a sense of lurking unease and dark humour woven into the world-building. Why is this old man on such a violent quest? What is the true nature of the Deity? The demo offers just enough of a tease to leave you wanting more, perfectly balancing its informative tutorials with a sense of genuine discovery.
Why You Should Play the Demo Now
The demo is a generous slice of what the full game promises. It allows you to feel the weight of the movement and experience the sheer variety of the environments. In a market saturated with “pixel art” indies, The Eternal Life of Goldman stands out as a premium, artisan experience. It’s a love letter to the era of classic animation, wrapped in a challenging, modern platformer shell.
Whether you are a fan of Cuphead’s aesthetic or the tight mechanics of Hollow Knight, this is one title that deserves a spot at the top of your Steam wishlist beacuse it plays beautifully on the Steam Deck and other handhelds like Lenovo Legion Go S. It’s also coming to PS5, Xbox and the Nintendo Switch.
