Megastructures! They seem to pop up everywhere these days, don’t they? Sprawling shapes, brutalist buildings… it’s enough to make you dizzy! Regular Studio and its newest hit-in-the-making Motorslice is anything but ordinary, though! Pulse-pounding parkour, frantic fights, and sensational set-pieces await you in this platformer par excellence–watch your step!

Romp Through The Rust

Developer Regular Studio and Publisher Top Hat Studios Inc. put the pedal to the metal from the get-go. As the succinctly named ‘P’, your mission is deceptively simple: scale the megastructure and destroy all the machines. Well, it wouldn’t be a very interesting game if it was that easy, would it? Armed with nothing but a crusty old drone and a chain sword that would make a Space Marine blush, the mission is still on. Failure, the opening scene reminds you, is forbidden!

Inspired by the Prince of Persia series in both its gameplay style and high-lethality, Motorslice is a fresh chip off of an old block. Motorslice puts the player through a gauntlet of tricky platforming in a crumbling industrial environment. Platformer veterans will feel right at home here: wall running, pole-swinging, all of the old standbys are present. New to the table is P’s chainsaw. Aside from decommissioning rabid robots, players can also use the tool to traverse specific surfaces with its motor. Talk about cutting-edge!

When you aren’t platforming, the chainsaw makes short work of enemies, of which there are a lot… and Motorslice takes no prisoners. One blow makes mulch of poor P, and her foes can and will evade and punish clumsy strikes. If you want to mash a machine, you’ll have to strike with patience and precision. You didn’t think you’d just be hopping around in this game, did you?

Megastructure Deconstructor

None of the Motorslice demo’s segments are particularly challenging, but the game does keep track of several elements. Time, deaths, and the amount of wayward drones shepherded around the levels all count towards your final performance. With the way the game is put together, I wouldn’t be surprised to see an online scoreboard in the future, or at the very least a Time Attack Mode. For those who like to take it slow: rejoice! There’s more than one way to scoot around the structure, but the demo never forces you to hurry.

Every few checkpoints you’ll be prompted to have a little chat with P from the perspective of her drone. These conversations don’t seem to change much yet, but they add a little flavor and levity to a downright lonesome experience. I can’t speak for the rest of the game, but in the demo, I didn’t find anyone or anything willing to engage in pleasantries. Not unless robot pleasantries involve grinding humans into a fine mist, that is!

One thing that really sets Motorslice apart from the rest is its bosses. The Motorslice demo ends with a climatic clash against… Well, I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise. Pooling everything you’ve learned into one big brawl, suffice it to say that Shadow of the Colossus fans are in for a treat!

The Motorslice demo only spans one ‘level’, but the gameplay is solid and doesn’t grow stale. Whether you’re a Prince of Persia Pro or a Platformer Pup, you’re certain to have some fun with this one.

A Fine-Tuned Machine!

Motorslice brings a unique aesthetic to the table. A sprawling tangle of buildings and girders caked in sand and old machines; the Megastructure is quite the climb. Taking a page from thatgamecompany’s 2012 artistic classic Journey, Motorslice sticks to a simple, but eye pleasing design. Compared to the tans and grays dominating the structure, P sticks out like a delightful thumb with her endearing design. Voiced by the wonderful Kira Buckland (Demon Slayer, NeiR: Automata), P’s design is only dwarfed by how she’s animated. Even when she isn’t scampering along a wall or carving a robot to ribbons, P is endearingly emotive. P frowns, ponders… she might even smile someday. Prickly though she may appear, it’s clear even in the demo that Regular Studio put a lot of love into her design. 

Speaking of love, the soundtrack put together by DnB wizard Pizza Hotline is just what the mechanic ordered. Drifting between intense to somber, quiet to chaotic, Motorslice’s music fits perfectly with the game. Admittedly there were moments where some tunes got a little stale, but by the time the full game rolls around hopefully there’ll be more to liven things up.

By the end of my hour-long playthrough I found myself lacking in the critique department. Motorslice already looks, sounds, and feels great, so what’s there to whine about? Checkpoints are generous, combat is simple, but not of the mind-numbing variety. The demo left me wanting more.

If I had to pick, however, I’d go with a concern I often have when reviewing demos: Can Motorslice keep things fresh til’ the end? Will its gray, oppressive environments grow dull? Will combat become a chore? I’m eager to see what Regular Studio can put together… and what we’ll be able to scrap in the final product!

Motorslice currently has a demo on Steam. Release date TBA. Follow Regular Studio on Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky and Discord for updates.