ARTE France and French independent studio La Poule Noire have revealed Matelotes, a medieval roguelite RPG launching through Steam Early Access on PC and Mac in early 2027.
The game takes place across the islands of the Kingdom of Sauzic, where the disappearance of the Royal Hen has sparked a crisis players are tasked with solving. Players will lead a crew of sailors across the kingdom in search of clues, recruiting new members and developing their abilities along the way.
Each expedition features a procedurally generated sea and island map. Players will need to chart their route, manage resources and respond to disasters and conflicts that threaten the survival of the crew. Their ship can also be upgraded to improve its speed and durability as the voyage becomes more dangerous.
Four rival factions will be encountered during the investigation, each pursuing its own ambitions. Supporting or sabotaging these groups may deliver immediate advantages, but choices will also produce consequences later in the adventure and influence the kingdom’s eventual fate.
Matelotes seeks to combine strategic decision making and crew management with unconventional characters, offbeat humour and narrative writing. It is the studio’s fourth game following Edgar: Bokbok in Boulzac, To Hell With The Ugly and Looking for Fael.
