Indie publisher Midwest Games and solo dev Max Mraz (of Ocean’s Heart fame) have just lifted the veil on the sprawling in-game map for Tombwater, the upcoming 2D souls-like action RPG arriving on PC later this year. And if you thought this top-down adventure was going to be bite-sized — think again.
Revealed alongside the playable demo, the Tombwater world map showcases nearly 20 distinct biomes layered across a haunted Wild West world gone very, very wrong. Think A Link to the Past, but grimmer, weirder, and riddled with madness.
“We were having so much fun exploring what could be in each area that we didn’t realize how big the map was growing,” says Mraz, lead developer at Moth Atlas. “We got together one evening to play through the game’s main path — and six hours later, we weren’t even halfway through!”
That’s right — the newly revealed map doesn’t even account for the game’s mines, sewers, tunnels, or the fabled Lost City buried deep in the mountain. This is classic Metroidvania world-building with a heavy Souls-like edge: some areas open from the start, others gated behind gear, bosses, or hard-earned abilities.
The demo, live now on Steam, gives players access to a slice of the Spanish Fort, a single zone that represents just 5% of the final game’s scope. For comparison, Mraz even shared a size comparison with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past — and Tombwater more than holds its own.
Welcome to Tombwater
Set in a ghostly frontier town poisoned by madness, Tombwater puts you in the dusty boots of a lone gunslinger investigating the disappearance of Sheriff Elliott Flintwood — the last friendly face in a town long since given over to decay and darkness.
Expect top-down pixel art, gruesome Eldritch enemies, and a world filled with whispered secrets just waiting to be dug up. If Bloodborne had a cousin raised on Spaghetti Westerns and 16-bit cartridges, this would be it.
Key Features:
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2D Top-Down Souls-Like: Classic Souls mechanics in a nostalgic pixel art world—dodge rolls, stamina management, and brutal boss fights included.
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Massive Interconnected World: Nearly 20 unique biomes across a map designed for exploration and discovery, with a full quest log and map system to track your descent.
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Apothecary Crafting System: Brew tonics, create explosives, and scavenge your way to survival using ingredients found throughout the world.
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20+ Boss Battles: Each one grotesque, terrifying, and designed to test your grit and reflexes.
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Dark Frontier Setting: Explore haunted mines, rotting frontier towns, and ancient ruins in a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
So grab your lantern, load your six-shooter, and steel your nerves — Tombwater is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious and atmospheric indie souls-likes of the year.
Play the demo now on Steam, and be sure to wishlist Tombwater ahead of its 2025 launch.