Gemini X brings boss-driven run-and-gun action to the PC metroidvania scene

A new indie action game is aiming straight at players who still have a soft spot for fast dashes, boss routes, armour upgrades and precision platforming. Gemini X, a 2.5D run-and-gun metroidvania from Canadian studio Komi Games, has been announced for PC and is already drawing attention for its obvious connection to the 32-bit action era. The comparison most players will make is Mega Man X, but the developers are positioning the project as more than a nostalgia exercise. The game is still early in development and is currently targeting a broad 2028 release window, yet its first showing already gives a clear idea of its ambitions. Gemini X wants to combine classic side-scrolling shooting, non-linear exploration, boss-driven progression and a modern 2.5D presentation into one compact sci-fi adventure. For PC players who miss the pace of older run-and-gun platformers but want something with more exploration and narrative consequence, this could become one to watch.

A familiar formula, but not a simple copy

Gemini X wears its influences openly. It features armour upgrades, animal-themed robotic bosses, a fast dash and a structure that allows players to choose the order in which they tackle major enemies. These ingredients will immediately sound familiar to anyone who has spent time with classic Mega Man X titles, where boss selection and weapon acquisition formed the backbone of the experience.

The difference is that Gemini X appears to be building a wider metroidvania framework around those ideas. Instead of moving from one self-contained stage to another in a mostly linear sequence of challenge rooms, the game is being designed with non-linear exploration in mind. That should give players more reason to return to previous areas, experiment with newly unlocked powers and gradually open up the Gemini Space Colony as their toolset expands.

That distinction matters. Modern metroidvania players expect more than boss fights and platforming tests. They want meaningful routes, ability gates, hidden upgrades and a world that feels worth revisiting. Gemini X seems to understand that balance, taking the immediacy of a run-and-gun platformer and placing it inside a more connected structure.

A sci-fi setting built around conflict and movement

The story of Gemini X takes place aboard a human space colony that has been hijacked. Players take on the role of Rook, a newly appointed C.A.S.T.L.E. security officer who is attacked and left for dead before setting out to regain control of the colony. Standing in the way are the Heretechs, a rogue faction of robotic freedom fighters carrying out a larger plot across the station.

This setup gives the game a useful foundation for both combat and exploration. A space colony is a natural fit for interconnected levels, locked sectors, mechanical hazards and environmental variety. It can support industrial corridors, residential zones, research decks, hangars and security systems without stretching the world beyond its core concept.

The more interesting idea is how Gemini X plans to handle its bosses. The Heretechs are not being treated as static enemies waiting patiently in separate rooms. They are intended to move through the station and respond to events, with the story changing depending on the order in which players defeat them. That could give the familiar boss-route structure more narrative weight, especially if remaining enemies adjust their behaviour or objectives after each major victory.

Why PC metroidvania fans should pay attention

The PC market has become one of the strongest homes for indie metroidvanias, and Gemini X is entering a crowded but healthy space. Players have no shortage of atmospheric, hand-drawn or pixel-art exploration games, but there is still room for a faster, more arcade-driven take on the genre. A game that combines Mega Man-style aggression with modern map design could stand out if the controls feel sharp enough.

The key will be movement. Any game inviting comparison to 32-bit action platformers has to get dashing, jumping, wall interaction and shooting right from the start. The genre is unforgiving when inputs feel loose or when combat rhythm becomes cluttered. Gemini X already appears to be placing speed and impact at the centre of its identity, which is the right choice for this type of project.

The 2.5D visual direction may also help it separate itself from the many pixel-art metroidvanias on PC. Rather than simply recreating a 1990s look, Gemini X uses stylised modern visuals with a retro flavour. The goal seems to be less about imitation and more about capturing the energy of older console action games through a contemporary presentation.

The Guacamelee connection adds credibility

One detail that should interest genre fans is the experience behind parts of the team. Some developers involved with Gemini X previously worked on Guacamelee! and Guacamelee! 2, particularly in areas such as level design and art direction. That does not guarantee success, but it is a useful sign. The Guacamelee games are remembered for responsive controls, readable level layouts and confident visual identity, all qualities that Gemini X will need.

Metroidvania design is difficult because the player’s freedom must be carefully guided without feeling restricted. Too much openness can make progress confusing, while too much linearity can make the exploration feel cosmetic. A team with experience in that space is better placed to understand how upgrades, shortcuts, combat arenas and visual signposting need to work together.

Gemini X also seems to be aiming for personality in its presentation. The soundtrack is described as a mix of synth and hard rock with clear PlayStation-era flavour, which fits the game’s mechanical heritage. Music matters in this genre because repetition is part of the structure. Players revisit areas, retry bosses and spend long stretches learning movement patterns, so the audio has to energise without becoming tiring.

A long road to 2028

The biggest reason for caution is the release window. A planned 2028 launch means Gemini X is still a long way from being a finished product. Early trailers and concept descriptions can communicate ambition, but they cannot prove pacing, level design quality, enemy variety or long-term progression. For now, this is a promising announcement rather than a proven contender.

That long development period may also work in the game’s favour. By showing Gemini X early, Komi Games can gauge player interest, gather feedback and refine the project around the audience most likely to support it. Indie games often benefit from that kind of open development, especially when they target a specific and vocal community.

The challenge will be managing expectation. Mega Man X fans are likely to be curious, but they are also likely to be demanding. They know how a dash should feel, how a boss pattern should escalate and how rewarding a new ability should be. Gemini X does not need to outdo its inspirations, but it does need to understand why they worked.

More than nostalgia, if the systems deliver

Gemini X is arriving at a time when retro influence is everywhere in independent game development. That makes presentation alone less impressive than it might have been a decade ago. What will decide the game’s future is whether its systems go beyond recognition. Bosses that move through the world, routes that change depending on player choice and powers that reshape exploration could make the game feel fresh rather than merely familiar.

For now, Gemini X has a strong pitch: a PC-focused 2.5D metroidvania with fast run-and-gun combat, a sci-fi colony under siege and a structure that gives players control over the order of major encounters. The Mega Man X comparison will follow it throughout development, but that may not be a problem. If Komi Games can turn those familiar ingredients into a connected, responsive and replayable adventure, Gemini X could become one of the more interesting indie action games on the road to 2028.