With a cycle of popular games coming out, it’s understandable if you miss some of the great indie titles that are launching. It’s especially forgivable when it’s a brand-new developer. Launching just behind Persona 3 Reload and Palworld’s massively successful early access is challenging.

Hadoque’s Ultros is coming out in less than a week, on February 13th. Ahead of its release, they launched the demo on Steam yesterday. You can officially jump in and try it for yourself.

Ultros is a trippy Metroidvania game set on a psychedelic cosmic uterus called Sarcophagus. As the main character, Ouji, you’ll explore unfamiliar alien plant life and slash through colorful but deadly creatures.

The game has a unique neon color palate designed by El Huervo, who previously worked on Hotline Miami.

The story will cover topics like mental health and philosophical questions about life and rebirth. You won’t be disappointed if you’re like me and love a deep narrative in your indie games. From what I’ve played, it takes a page out of Hollow Knight’s book to tell a rich story through the environment.

Ultros has tight and intuitive controls, though I do recommend a controller for the demo. The control scheme on the keyboard seems a little unwieldy, and I couldn’t find a way to change it.

Hopefully, they’ll include the ability to remap controls for keyboard users. Navigating the Sarcophagus was simple and exciting as soon as I connected a controller.

You’ll be able to get Ultros on Steam, Epic Games, and PlayStation 4 and 5. Sorry, X-Box players. I’ve only played it briefly but can’t wait for the 13th. Pick it up just before the holiday, and spend Valentine’s Day as it was meant to be enjoyed: navigating an alien planet on the couch.