FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch Launches September 7

FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch, a stylish sidescrolling platformer that stars one gruff bunny with a big metal fist, officially has a release date–September 7, 2021.

The game, described as a “dieselpunk” metroidvania by developer TiGames, is set in a world filled with anthropomorphic animals and will release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC and retail for $29.99. PlayStation Plus members get 10% off when pre-ordering the game via the PlayStation Store.

Players will take on the role of Rayton, a former resistance fighter who is thrust back into action after his friend is forcibly arrested. From there players will be able to explore the various interconnected regions of Torch City, solving puzzles, overcoming platforming challenges, and pummeling foes in combat.

A new PlayStation blog post dives into the creation of Rayton, with TiGames saying an animal was chosen as the main character because of their universal appeal. As for why Rayton is a rabbit, it’s not only because of his iconic bunny ears, but also because rabbits are typically viewed as weak, which makes for a nice surprise when players learn Rayton is a grizzled war veteran.

Players will master three different weapons, the fist, the drill, and the whip, with each weapon having its own strengths and weaknesses. The game’s new trailer shows off some of the combat in action, as well as previewing some bullet-hell-ish boss battles. Running on Unreal Engine 4, FIST looks impressive, with detailed textures and an overall visual fidelity not commonly seen in 2D sidescrollers.

The game was first announced last July and originally slated to release a few months later. That obviously didn’t happen, and will now be releasing this fall on an additional platform in the form of the PS5.