Akatori Is Out Now on Steam With Kung Fu Parkour and Staff-Based Combat

Akatori is available now on Steam, bringing its mix of Metroidvania exploration, fast action-platforming and staff-powered combat to PC.

Developed by Contrast Games and published by Games Harbor and Esprit Games, Akatori follows a young monk named Mako as she travels between interconnected worlds threatened by a corrupting force known as the Amber Storms.

PlayStation and Xbox versions will follow on August 12, 2026. A Nintendo Switch release is planned for Q4 2026 or early Q1 2027.

Akatori Sends Mako Across Corrupted Worlds

Mako was raised in the Firebird Temple, but her journey soon takes her far beyond familiar ground.

Accompanied by a mysterious red bird sealed inside her staff, she must explore different realms, battle dangerous creatures and uncover the cause of the Amber Storms.

The corruption twists living things and threatens to consume every world it reaches. Along the way, the story explores growth, resilience and self-discovery through environmental storytelling and direct character encounters.

As per the press release, those themes feed into both exploration and combat rather than sitting quietly in the background.

One Staff Handles Combat, Movement and Progression

Akatori’s mystical staff sits at the centre of almost everything.

Mako can use it to string together ground and aerial combos, throw it as a projectile and pull it back while moving. It also supports traversal, including gliding, wall-hooking, sliding and parkour.

That should make navigating the game’s vertical environments a little more exciting than slowly shuffling towards the next ledge.

Combat also takes place within living ecosystems. Enemies can fight each other, activate traps and react to environmental hazards, rewarding players who pay attention before charging in.

Akatori Mixes Pixel Art With 3D Environments

Akatori uses a 2.5D visual style, combining pixel art characters with fully 3D environments.

Its biomes draw inspiration from mythology and include medieval Asian landscapes, floating bamboo islands and otherworldly dimensions.

The game also features unconventional boss encounters. These include underwater escapes, rhythm-based challenges and multi-phase fights.

Each area and boss has its own musical theme, while the wider experience has been designed around player expression, momentum and consistent Metroidvania progression.