Gateways announced for PC and Xbox 360

Gateways, an upcoming puzzle platformer with elements similar to Portal and Braid, has been announced for Xbox 360 and PC by indie developer Smudged Cat Games.

January 31, 2012 2:30 PM2

Indie developer Smudged Cat Games has revealed a new game called Gateways that will be coming soon to PC and Xbox 360. It’s a 2D puzzle-platformer that centers around an inventor named Ed who finds himself needing to escape his own lab when some of his creations go haywire. He’ll have to use “gateway guns” to fight his way out. One such gun is reminiscent of the tool found in Valve’s Portal series, but there appear to be some unique variations at play in Gateways as well.

At first glance, Gateways might just seem like it’s taking the the concept of Valve’s portal gun, and then moving it into a 2D platformer. Upon closer inspection, however, there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. In addition to being able to make the traditional “A to B”-style of gateways, Ed gains access to a number of other devices that spice things up. For example, one of the gateway guns allows the player to create a large and a small portal. Entering the small portal and emerging from the large one will cause Ed to double in size, but taking the reverse route will shrink him.

There’s also a gravity gateway gun that allows the player to step through and walk on the walls and ceilings, and even a time-manipulating gateway gun that allows Ed to traverse the map and go back in time, where he might encounter past versions of himself.

Other power-ups and tools–like a torch or a laser-deflecting mirror–also get added to the mix. As you can tell in the debut trailer below, these gameplay conceits have the potential to create some mind-melting scenarios.