City of Murals

A far-future race for longevity gives this action-platformer a stranger premise than its cute visuals first suggest. Alien artifacts can stretch a human life into centuries, and determined Eternalists chase that promise through dangerous reaches of space where purple time technology also offers formidable power. City of Murals balances colorful, cartoon-like environments with squishy creatures, unsettling imagery, and the constant risk expected from a rogue-lite. Its tone is playful on the surface but carries a grim edge: everyone wants more time, and plenty of bizarre things stand between them and it.

Runs revolve around pushing through hostile areas, surviving enemy encounters, and searching for useful discoveries while learning how the world’s threats behave. Combat supports both nonviolent and destructive weapon options, letting players handle strange creatures with restraint when possible or simply blast through trouble when necessary. Movement is equally important, with unlockable tools such as a dash, jetpack, glider, and grappling hook opening up more ambitious routes through platforming spaces. Those traversal upgrades give exploration a satisfying sense of momentum, turning previously awkward gaps and elevated paths into opportunities rather than dead ends.

The standout idea is the collision between grotesque sci-fi and an approachable, almost toy-like presentation. Instead of treating traversal gear as a minor convenience, City of Murals makes mobility part of the action, encouraging players to experiment with aerial movement and alternate paths while dealing with enemies. Weird creatures can become allies or opponents, adding personality to a setting that could otherwise be pure survival horror. Players who enjoy the run-based structure of rogue-lites but want more platforming freedom than a typical top-down shooter should find plenty to like, especially if games with the offbeat charm of Spelunky or the frantic movement of Dead Cells appeal to them.