From Prisoner to Survivor in The Colony: New Haven Chronicles, a Retro Sci-Fi Metroidvania

Discover the dark secrets of the remote colony of New Haven in a retro-style Metroidvania

[Aurora, IL] – June 18, 2025 – Aurora Games Studio and the indie publishing house indie.io are proud to announce the release of The Colony: New Haven Chronicles on Steam, a retro-styled, top-down Metroidvania putting players in the prison jumpsuit of a colonial prisoner, waking up abandoned in an infirmary with freshly installed neural hardware, a conspicuous absence of memories, and the dying gurgles of a guard down the corridor…

New Haven is a remote outpost of humanity among the stars, once hailed as the future of humanity under the leadership of Dr Elara. The utopian vision soon became mired in the problems of the moon chosen by the good doctor to implement her vision: Resource and food shortages, constant rationing, hostile alien wildlife, and more. 

By the time Seven comes to, the situation has completely deteriorated: Aliens run rampant, what remains of the human contingent is irreversibly violent or turned into zombies, while a devastating plague threatens the few remaining survivors. Players are placed in the middle of this chaotic state of affairs, woken up by Seven's newly acquired IRIS implant, which will be their assistant and faithful companion throughout the game. 

Seven is defined by an elegant character system, determining their abilities through three main statistics - Strength, Endurance, and Luck - that impact how much health, battery, and critical chance they have. Then come in the tools, embracing the classic Metroidvania gameplay: Each tool collected unlocks more and more of New Haven for exploration. 

Exploration is key to survival: Players can push forward to learn more of the story or hang back and use the steadily expanding toolset - grappling hook, gas mask, remote explosives - to access previously blocked areas and discover more bits of currency, essence to develop Seven, and the rich lore of the universe of New Haven.

The rich setting, retro aesthetics, and classic gameplay are brought together in the Godot engine, using a classic top-down perspective in what became a journey of many firsts for Andrew Durtka, the man at the heart of Aurora Games Studio: “Creating The Colony: New Haven Chronicles as a solo developer has challenged me to wear many hats, from artist to level designer, storyteller to programmer.” He adds, “every aspect of the game was carefully crafted to evoke the spirit of classic adventure titles, having players lose themselves in exploration and piecing together a world shaped by mystery and decay.” He deliberately evoked the spirit of early adventure games, believing that “discovery is most rewarding when earned, where every step forward reveals something new, and the world itself tells the story.”

The Colony: New Haven Chronicles is now available on Steam for USD 9.99, with a 20% launch discount.

ABOUT AURORA GAME STUDIO

Aurora Games Studio is an independent one-person studio founded by a developer with a degree in game design and a deep love for classic action-adventure titles. The studio blends nostalgic aesthetics with modern gameplay and thoughtful worldbuilding, delivering handcrafted experiences inspired by the golden era of 2D games. The Colony: New Haven Chronicles is Aurora’s debut release—a passion project resulting from years of study, experimentation, and dedication to game crafting.

ABOUT INDIE.IO

indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!