As a huge fan of Eldritch Horror, Metroidvanias (especially if they are soulslike), and westerns, I have to admit, when this game came onto my radar, I was skeptical. How was this game going to take these seemingly very different elements and make them into something great? However, after many hours of enjoyment, I have to admit, they did it pretty well.
Tombwater
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Played on: PC
Platforms: PC (Steam and GOG)
Developer: Moth Atlas
Publisher: Midwest Games
Tombwater is the story of a nameless outlaw who is on a search for his old friend, with whom he had to part ways after a bad job gone wrong. Now, the sheriff of Tombwater invites you to come and possibly start fresh there. One would expect a warm welcome; however, upon your arrival, you are met with the news that your friend is missing and a town of people who immediately attack you, some even turning into terrifying monstrosities. Now it’s up to you to explore Tombwater and find your friend while uncovering the whispers of the past.
When first loading up this game, you are immediately immersed in the story and gameplay, learning how combat will work and showing the story of the job gone wrong, ending with parting ways with your friend and mentor, Flintwood. The game does not hold your hand. When it has something to say, it shows you in the moment, and exploration is king, which is the nature of Metroidvania games.
Though I wished for more moments of lore and story at times, the story is interesting, and you find yourself desperately wanting to know more and questioning everything. The immersion is not broken by the backstory. When encountering certain sections and puddles of blood, the story of the past unfolds before you, telling the dark story of Flintwood trying to prevent and investigate whatever has befallen the town, as well as the history of the two men.
Art and Music
The art is beautifully detailed 2D pixel art. The character art for the monsters is where the art really shines. Taking ordinary people and animals and shifting them to sinister enemies that look like they stepped straight out of a Lovecraft book. The music, however, does not leave me as impressed. I feel there are lulls where the music forgets what it’s supposed to be doing. Sometimes leaving us with very little sound design or sometimes music that doesn’t quite fit the scene.
Mechanics and Gameplay
I will start off by saying this should be played with a mouse and keyboard if you can. Though the game information says it has full controller and Steam Deck support, the gameplay is not intuitive to this. The aim system was obviously made with a mouse in mind, making it a little hard to aim in combat with a controller. For a game that requires making every attack count, it was slightly annoying to have those troubles. Although once you get the hang of this, you can get through okay.
The difficulty of the game is completely up to you. Though it never asks what difficulty level you would like to play the game in, the settings give you the option to adjust how much damage you take and receive from enemy attacks. I had to play around with the settings a little to make up for the controller settings, but it updates in real time and does not require you to exit the game.
Combat consists of items such as grenades, swords, and guns. All of which you will most likely use in every fight. Your ammo is limited, and instead of being on the search for more, the game takes on a unique mechanic of replenishing your bullets when you use melee attacks.
The Final Verdict
Tombwater is a perfect addition to the Metroidvania soulslike genre. It did a phenomenal job of bringing Eldritch Horror to the wild west and making it a truly immersive and fun experience. Even with the issues with controls for non-mouse and keyboard users and the sometimes questionable sound choices, this game has absolutely stolen my heart with its storytelling and beautifully horrifying art and atmosphere.
