Montreal-based Shishi Studios has unveiled the first images of Mecha, a 3D puzzle-platformer featuring Coni, a robotic engineer who uses a wheelchair. In this innovative game, Coni creates robots called Mechas to help humanity. When a sudden alert reveals that all the Mechas have malfunctioned and scattered across a Montreal laboratory’s testing zones, Coni embarks on a mission to uncover the cause.
Players will assist Coni by finding and repairing robots while solving environmental puzzles. Each path presents new challenges, requiring players to solve puzzles, avoid traps, face bosses, and diagnose robot-related issues. “Mecha features emerging puzzles focused on artificial intelligence behaviors,” explains designer Frédéric McNamara, founder of Shishi Studios. “It fosters collaboration and perseverance. In this journey of self-acceptance, players must demonstrate trust to overcome obstacles.”
The Mecha trailer can be viewed online, and the game has been selected for DemoNights, with a release is set for 2027.
McNamara, who lives with muscular dystrophy, designed the game to be accessible to players of all ages and abilities. He has observed that many video games often neglect players with physical, cognitive, or visual impairments. “For people like me, some games are difficult, even impossible, to play. Too many designers overlook accessibility.”
To address this, Mecha requires minimal fast actions and features several difficulty levels, offering great freedom in control settings. Players can assign specific buttons to actions, and joystick sensitivity is adjustable.
Shishi Studios, founded by Frédéric McNamara, is an independent video game studio in Montreal. The studio is committed to promoting accessibility, inspired by McNamara’s personal experience with muscular dystrophy. The small team of designers, artists, programmers, and sound designers collaborates to create ambitious games that innovate through new visual styles and genres while ensuring accessibility for all. Their commitment to social themes and inclusive designs has received particular acclaim.
