Montreal, February 24, 2025 – Montreal-based Shishi Studios unveils the first images of Mecha, a new 3D puzzle-platformer featuring Coni, a wheelchair-bound robotics engineer. To help humanity, she creates robots called Mechas. When a sudden alert informs him that all the Mechhas begin to malfunction and disperse in the testing areas of a Montreal laboratory, Coni investigates the cause.
To help him, players will have to find and repair robots while solving environmental puzzles. As they explore the areas, each course will offer a new challenge. They will have to solve puzzles, avoid traps, face bosses and diagnose problems related to robots.
” Mecha offers emerging puzzles, which evolve according to the players’ choices, because they are based on artificial intelligence behaviors,” explains designer Frédéric McNamara, founder of Shishi Studios. The player thus develops the spirit of collaboration and perseverance. In this journey of learning self-acceptance, one must demonstrate confidence to overcome obstacles. »
The trailer for Mecha can be seen here, and the game was selected for the DemoNights, which was presented on February 21. It is scheduled for release in 2027.
A mission of inclusion
Frédéric McNamara has developed his game by making it accessible to players of all ages and abilities. Himself suffering from muscular dystrophy, the 29-year-old entrepreneur has had to overcome many challenges in order to pursue his passions.
Since his youth, he has observed that video games too often leave out fans with reduced physical, cognitive or visual abilities. “For people like me, some games are difficult or impossible to play. Too many designers don’t think about accessibility. »
Because his disease leads to muscle degeneration, rapid movements and maneuvers on a controller are increasingly difficult for him to perform. Therefore, in order to allow everyone to have fun, its games require few quick actions. There are also several levels of difficulty and a lot of freedom in the control settings. For example, you can assign a specific button to an action, while the sensitivity of the sticks (joysticks) is adjustable.
Already well-stocked roadmap
Born in 2019, Shishi Studios hit hard in May 2022 with Shishi: Timeless Prelude, a colorful dungeon crawling game. As soon as it was released on the Nintendo console, it received nothing but praise, both at the industry event MEGAMIGS and among gamers.
They help the young mage Elia in her adventure to protect a kingdom. However, before she can start, she must finish her training. As she explores the Timeless Sanctuary, Elia becomes stronger and learns essential spells to pass the test. Each race takes place in a new timeline. This means that players discover different rooms, encounter new enemies and more!
Among the titles in development, Shishi: Ballad of the Oracle is an open-mode role-playing game. Puzzles are solved in a colorful world filled with cute creatures. The Oracle Elia must develop her confidence in order to awaken the power that lies dormant within her. To achieve this, she will have to master key emotions (empathy, determination, passion, wisdom). Thus, she will compose a legendary song and save a kingdom.
Finally, Mercury (also in production) is a narrative puzzle game focused on hacking. Programmer Lucy, aka Mercury, is hired by Nexus, the world’s largest multinational corporation. His task? Program new security systems. However, a major flaw will give him access to the organization’s dark secrets.
As Lucy discovers, Nexus will increase the security level and try to stop her at all costs. To get around the obstacles, she will have to hack into various smart devices: speakers, toasters, etc. Hacking and stealth mechanics enrich this cyberpunk-inspired game.
About Shishi Studios
Shishi Studios is an independent video game studio located in Montreal and founded in 2019 by Frédéric McNamara. This video game enthusiast is committed to promoting accessibility. Her own experience with muscular dystrophy inspires the studio’s mission. Shishi’s small team includes designers, artists, programmers and sound designers. Their collaboration reflects a synergy around innovation and creativity. The company makes a difference by creating ambitious games that innovate by experimenting with new visual styles and genres, in addition to being accessible to all. His commitment to social themes and inclusive designs is particularly praised.
Official press release provided by Shishi Studios
