Demo unearthed in the search for The Eye of Vala

• Announcements by Sam Amiotte-Beaulieu
• Published:

Classic Indiana Jones-inspired point-and-click adventure coming soon to Steam 

With a hero in a brown fedora and ancient tombs filled with deadly traps, you’d be forgiven for thinking The Eye of Vala is another quest with a certain whip-toting archaeologist at the helm. But the upcoming debut title from Spanish developer Teckel Studios is no Indy-venture, instead offering a brand new experience that pays heavy homage to the LucasArts classics.

In the aftermath of World War I, Colonel Moorehead mysteriously went missing while searching for the titular artifact, one of the mythical scattered “gem seeds of a power-hungry Asura (Demon God) named Vala.” The colonel is believed dead by his colleagues but his family has not given up. To track him down, Moorehead’s family hires a bounty hunter named MacNaughton (or Mac for short), who heads deep into a dark jungle to uncover the lost temple where the colonel disappeared. But Mac is not alone in his pursuit, as “other forces are also searching for the Eye” in the hopes of gaining control over the demonic Vala by finding all the seeds of his power. Now it’s a race against the forces of evil, in which players will have to use their wits to outsmart Mac’s competitors and unravel the mysteries of the legendary deity. 

The Eye of Vala is a classic-styled point-and-click adventure presented with detailed pixel art. As Mac, you’ll explore the ancient temple and its surrounding jungle, where your puzzle-solving abilities will be tested by supernatural traps and powerful forces from beyond the mortal realm. Unlike its dramatic premise, however, the tone of the game is entirely LucasArts-y, with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor and fourth-wall-breaking jokes, such as not being able to afford voice acting. (Though with a promise not to overdo game-related references). Utilizing a simple two-button system to interact with and look at hotspots, you’ll freely explore accessible areas and collect items to solve puzzles, with a hidden drop-down inventory appearing when moving your cursor to the top of the screen. Dialogue trees provide responses in conversation with colorful characters, living or dead, like a cursed spirit of a Spanish conquistador or a mysterious shaman who guards the temple as his ancestors have done for centuries.

Explorers won’t have to wait much longer to begin their quest for The Eye of Vala, with an expected launch sometime in 2026. But for those eager to get started early, a sizable demo is available now on Steam for Windows PC.

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