Mantle (2025)

Mantle was a joy to play from beginning to end. It has subtle lore and an investing story. The sound design and music for this game goes above and beyond which made every fight extra enjoyable. The comic book/pixel art style is incredibly well done and gave the characters great presence when on the screen. My only critique is the lack of any tutorials for fights in either the flavor text or the battle screen itself. It isn't terrible to figure out but could be a little confusing for new players. Cheers everyone who worked on this incredibly well done game!!!!

Mantle was an quick enjoyable experience. Getting every achievement and seeing all the story only takes around an hour and a half, maybe a little more if you want to read all the dialog and mini-text that crosses the screen. But for that hour and a half you get to see beautiful Pixel Art that gives retro vibes, catchy music that sometimes distracted me as I was vibing and dialog that world builds really only if you're wanting to dive a little deeper and read some of the emails within it. But without spoiling anything it was an interesting experience and enjoyable quick game to play this evening!

Mantle is an imaginative indie superhero adventure that approaches the familiar concept of saving the world from an unexpectedly thoughtful perspective. Developed and published by Short Circuit, this free-to-play experience combines narrative exploration, turn-based strategy, interactive minigames, and moral decision-making into a distinctive 2D adventure. Rather than focusing exclusively on spectacular battles and overwhelming superpowers, the game explores the responsibilities, expectations, and psychological pressures associated with becoming a celebrated hero. Its combination of science fiction, comic-book storytelling, and philosophical themes creates an intriguing experience that offers more substance than its relatively modest presentation might initially suggest. The story takes place in Amourtia, a technologically advanced city transformed by Hybric Energy, a mysterious power source responsible for extraordinary innovation and prosperity. Beneath the city's impressive achievements lies a society obsessed with reputation, ambition, and the distinction between heroes and villains. Players assume the role of Mantle, a sophisticated robotic superhero equipped with advanced ma…

this is exactly why i love indie games.

Mantle is a really interesting little superhero game, and I liked how quickly it started playing with my expectations. I take control of a superhero robot who is supposed to become a great defender of the city, but the story gradually starts questioning what being a hero actually means. I enjoyed that darker direction because the game is colorful and playful on the surface while hiding some surprisingly uncomfortable ideas underneath. The gameplay combines turn based strategy with small puzzle style combat encounters. I have to decide how I want to deal with enemies, including whether I should capture them or take more permanent action. I liked that these decisions give the fights a little more thought than simply selecting an attack every turn. The different gadgets also come with their own mini games, so using my abilities feels more interactive than just pressing a button and watching an animation. The desktop interface is another part I really enjoyed. Instead of giving me a traditional map filled with menus, the game lets me interact with a computer to read news reports and emails. These gradually show how the city reacts to my actions and how my reputation as a hero develop…

Mantle saved my cat that was stuck in a tree and then set a small fire when he blasted off into the sky. My family roasted marshmallows in the front lawn all night.