The Cologne-based (Germany) indie games developer Playing Mantis are today very happy and excited to announce that their wholesome, casual, story-rich Roguelike, ‘Solstride’, is now in development for PC.

What Solstride Is:
“Solstride is a deeply personal game, a labor of love,” says Juniper Alves (they/them), co-founder and Game Director of Playing Mantis. “It is a wholesome adventure about friendship and finding your heart. Our game adds a unique and unexpected mix of gameplay mechanics to the cozy game genre: It is highly accessible and allows cozy gamers to immerse themselves not only in a rich story, but progress through casual turn-based combat and base-building where decorating unlocks upgrades for your fellowship.”

Solstride blends emotional gameplay with tactical weight. Set in a cozy solarpunk world it features an extraordinary blend of gameplay elements, incl. dialogues with meaningful decisions and accessible turn-based combat, which is quite unusual for the cozy games genre. Its story together with its beautiful hand-drawn art, inspired by anime and fairy tales, has a powerful message, particularly important in our current times of turmoil and multi-crises: What does it mean to be human?

Game Highlights:
• Endearing animal companions with evolving abilities
• Sanctuary building that affects exploration and combat
• Relaxed & rewarding turn-based roguelike gameplay
• Deep narrative about friendship, resilience, and connection
• Full accessibility support (subtitles, adjustable UI, controller support)

About Playing Mantis
We are an indie studio founded in April 2025 by experienced game developers based in North-Rhine-Westphalia. Work-life balance is important to us, so we have fully embraced working remotely and with very flexible working hours. The games we work on might be quirky, but we take a pragmatic approach to game development and project management, to make sure everyone manages their time and energy efficiently. We aspire to make games and spaces that are inclusive to everyone.

Robin “V-Act” Ek
Editor in chief
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround

More by Robin Ek:

• New Old Pixels is to bring the original ‘Toki’ arcade game, to original retro hardware
• The 2D pixel art PvPvE extraction shooter, ‘Project S.U.N.D.I.A.L.’, is coming to Steam on April 27th
• The 1-4 player egg cracking adventure, ‘CRACK’, is coming to Steam on October 26th
• The unique horror game ‘Hoarder’ is coming to Steam in 2027
• The cozy first-person warehouse sim ‘BOB LOGISTICS’ is coming to Steam in Q4 2026

Tags: Indie games, PC games, Playing Mantis, Roguelike, Solstride, Steam