Long Gone: Hillfort Games’ Pixel-Art Apocalypse Wants to Rekindle the Magic of Classic Point’n

Why Long Gone Landed on My Radar

When I first heard about Long Gone, the new project from Hillfort Games, I almost shrugged it off. Let’s face it-post-apocalyptic narratives and pixel art are everywhere right now, and we’ve seen a recent flood of “retro” point’n click revivals trading on nostalgia. But the pitch for Long Gone has some genuine hooks that make me perk up: The Last of Us vibes in a 2.5D framework, actual interactivity that recalls the best old-school adventure games, and not just another pretty pixel-art facade trying to sell itself on looks alone.

• Classic point’n click gameplay, but inside a 3D post-apocalyptic world
• Pixel art with deep environmental interactivity-not just set dressing
• Heavily narrative-driven experience, taking story cues from The Last of Us
• Still no PC release date or localization-caution warranted

What Stands Out in a Sea of Pixel Art

Let’s be real: pixel art is everywhere, and most of the time, it’s used as a shortcut for “retro indie” rather than a meaningful design choice. But Hillfort Games says they want to do more than slap a sepia filter over their game and call it a day. The promise here is a pixel-art aesthetic mixed with true 3D exploration and high interactivity. Every drawer, every cabinet, every box—supposedly, you can dig through them for clues and resources. If Hillfort really follows through, that’s a big deal for fans of classic point’n clicks like Grim Fandango and Monkey Island, where poking at everything was half the fun.

It sounds like they’ve looked at the glut of “walking simulators” that prioritize visuals and mood, but end up with empty shells of worlds. Here, you’re invited to play detective, piece together lives interrupted by disaster, and get lost in a handcrafted environment. It’s a lot of promise—now let’s see if it doesn’t crumble under its own ambition.

Point’n Click Roots Mixed with Modern Survival

Where Long Gone gets really interesting is in its merging of point’n click adventure logic (hunt for objects, combine them in sometimes hilarious or roundabout ways, solve puzzles) with survival and stealth elements. If you’re picturing Joel from The Last of Us shuffling through abandoned neighborhoods, that seems intentional—the main character is cast as a scrappy survivor, piecing together the past of a vanished suburb while dodging the ever-present threat of zombies.

But unlike the hyper-cinematic stuff Naughty Dog is famous for, Hillfort promises the actual mechanics of investigation haven’t been dumbed down: you’ll be reading notes, rummaging through basically anything, with the catch that not every found object will matter. That’s a refreshing note of honesty: after the endless streamlined, handholdy experiences we see nowadays, being forced to use your brain again is a plus.

Why It’s Worth Watching—and What Could Go Wrong

As someone who grew up with LucasArts adventures and then watched the genre fade, I love when indies try to resurrect the format—especially when they’re not content just to reskin the past. Long Gone’s ambition to marry tactile environmental storytelling with meaningful item puzzles could either bring point’n clicks into a new era, or get snarled up in its own complexity. My main worry is the “100% interactivity” promise: it sounds great, but we’ve seen before how it can bog down pacing and dilute focus, making busywork out of exploration.

Then there’s the nagging industry reality: no PC release date, no confirmation about localization (so if your French isn’t up to speed, cross your fingers). We’ve seen plenty of ambitious indies fizzle out before launch or get stuck in early access purgatory. Still, a recent showing at gamescom’s Opening Night Live means there’s real momentum—but as a player, I’m keeping my hopes in check until we see more than a pitch and a trailer.

TL;DR

Long Gone is pitching itself as a genuine evolution of classic point’n click adventures, with 3D exploration and a pixel-art world that begs to be poked and prodded. Its The Last of Us-style narrative and focus on deep interactivity are promising—but with no release date and plenty of indie pitfalls ahead, it’s a title worth following, not necessarily preordering just yet. Here’s hoping Hillfort Games delivers a true modern classic, and not just another pretty pixel apocalypse.