Belgian indie studio Badass Mongoose is turning heads with Helix: Descent N Ascent, and if the trailer is anything to go by, it’s the kind of game I'll remember for its visuals long after the final puzzle is solved. Helix is a game defined by its sublime lineart as much as the intricate game design, and I simply can't stop staring at it.
At the heart of Helix is its monochrome art style, a deliberate throwback to 1980s black-and-white indie comics, 1990s manga, and classic Franco-Belgian graphic novels. But it’s not just nostalgia for its own sake (though it could easily feature on one of the best retro consoles); Badass Mongoose has crafted environments that feel alive. Every frame is composed like a picture-book illustration, with silhouettes and shadows carefully designed to convey mood and story.
In the trailer, simple landscapes ripple with movement; walls, stairs, and architecture aren’t just background, they become part of the narrative, interacting with the player in subtle, almost cinematic ways. Each is stained with ink blots, sketched, and hatched into life with considered detail.
Art trumps realism
The 2D visuals are complemented by Jim Guthrie’s atmospheric score, which heightens the sense of solitude, mystery, and wonder. Together, sound and sight create a world that feels almost tactile; you can feel the textures, the weight of shadows, and the contrast between dark and light.
Even in its puzzles and story, the art carries meaning. You encounter a doppelganger, traverse barren ruins, and unlock powers, but each moment is framed as a composition, a visual beat that communicates as much as the narrative itself. Black-and-white might seem simple, but Helix proves it can be astonishingly expressive.
For anyone who cares about how games look as much as how they play, Helix is a reminder that style can be substantial, and it's not always necessary to deliver Unreal Engine photorealism to impress. The game's minimal, haunting, and utterly immersive art direction is a monochrome adventure where every panel feels like it belongs in a gallery. Can the gameplay match the art? We can find out soon when a demo launches in February.
Helix: Descent N Ascent is set to feature in Steam Next Fest from 23 February to 2 March, with a demo releasing in the second week of February. The game releases on Steam and Nintendo Switch in 2026.
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