The Spanish studio FrameOver, with Headup Games as publisher, is preparing The 9th Dragon for 2026. This title takes us to an alternate version of 1980s/90s Hong Kong, inspired by crime cinema. The proposal mixes beat 'em up combat, urban exploration, and decisions that alter a plot of betrayals. With a very defined voxel aesthetic, it will arrive on PC, PS5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.
A city of digital bricks: voxel art 🧱
The choice of voxel graphics is not just stylistic, but a tool to build the dense and labyrinthine walled city of Kowloon. This technique allows creating a charged and recognizable atmosphere, where lighting and level design emphasize verticality and urban chaos. The art seeks to evoke the nostalgia of the era, but with a contemporary and unique visual identity, distancing itself from traditional pixel art.
A voxel cop with existential dilemmas? That wasn't seen 🕵️
Between street combat and missions, the game promises that our decisions will affect the story. It's comforting to know that, while we dish out punches to pixelated gangsters, we can also anguish over complex personal relationships and betrayals. The life of a detective in a voxel crime city is tough, but at least the moral crises come with a coherent visual style from start to finish.