# The Eternal Existence of Goldman: The 2D Platformer That Left Paul Speechless
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by sensory input? That intense feeling when a flood of impressions rushes at you so fast that you’re left in a state of shock, unable to express anything beyond a mere “Man, what was THAT?” That’s exactly how I felt upon experiencing *The Eternal Existence of Goldman*.
## You Cracked the Kautz!
I strongly encourage you to check out the just-released trailer for *The Eternal Existence of Goldman*. Seriously, take a moment to view it, allow it to sink in, and then see if you can easily process what you just witnessed. I found myself in a small area at THQ Nordic’s booth at Gamescom, and the product manager overseeing it was smiling at me. All I was able to stutter out was an astonished, “…what?”
It’s been a long while since something rendered me completely speechless. The last time was during the concluding credits of *The Truman Show* back in 1998, a film that utterly amazed me. The trailer for *The Eternal Existence of Goldman* had a comparable impact, although for entirely different (and equally captivating) reasons.
## GoldmanTales (Woo-Hoo!)
At its essence, *The Eternal Existence of Goldman* is a 2D platformer heavily influenced by the 16-bit era of jump-n-run games, reminiscent of 1993’s *Rocket Knight Adventures*. But it doesn’t stop there. The game mixes in elements of *Braid*, a touch of *Cuphead*, a hefty slice of *DuckTales*, and a plethora of imaginative concepts, resulting in a funky yet engaging concoction. The developers themselves label it as a “platformer adventure.”
Goldman, the main character, is anything but your average hero. He’s an elderly man, adorned with a kippah and wielding a walking stick, primarily recognized for his talent in whistling enchanting melodies. However, it’s the stick that provides him with his peculiar powers. On one hand, he can utilize it as a powerful pogo stick, reminiscent of Uncle Scrooge in 1989’s *DuckTales*.
As Goldman advances through his journey, he acquires various enhancements for his stick from ethereal beings. These enhancements include a hook that allows him to grab onto rings and manipulate objects, along with a modification that permits higher jumps. However, some of these upgrades can be overly potent, necessitating manual downgrades to tackle specific challenges. For instance, in one segment of the game, I had to revoke a floor upgrade to navigate safely through a passage laden with low-hanging spikes. According to the developers, the game will incorporate minor Metroidvania elements like this while primarily remaining linear.
## Creativity from the Pencil
The ingenious game design of *The Eternal Existence of Goldman* is just one factor behind my enthusiastic smile—the other is its visual presentation. The game looks stunning! Every pixel of the environments and characters is meticulously drawn by hand, with levels showcasing an astonishing amount of loving detail. The character designs are imaginative, and the Unity engine guarantees high-speed performance and impressive special effects, like heat distortion or motion blur.
Navigating through the levels, admiring the multitude of ideas and the undeniable talent of the designers and illustrators, was an absolute delight. Every nook of the game brims with quirky new elements. For instance, when you smash open a crate with the baton, its contents scatter physically in the vicinity. Attempting to describe this doesn’t capture its essence—it looks fantastic in action! During the playtest, it was stressed that no AI was involved in the graphic creation. Everything is hand-drawn with considerable care.
## The Walking Stick of Doom
This delightful visual creation was brought to life by the Belarusian studio Weappy, known for their *This is the Police* series. However, *The Eternal Existence of Goldman* is studio founder Ilya Yanovich’s labor of love, which he has been developing since 2017. Although there isn’t a specific release date yet, THQ Nordic has indicated that the game is nearly complete and expected to launch in 2024.
Players can anticipate a wealth of action influenced by Jewish, Greek, and Mesopotamian fables and legends. The game boasts inventive world designs, like fiery landscapes from which grinning balloons ascend, or icy forests where thick snow obscures your vision. Boss battles will demand proficiency with the handy walking stick, making it an essential tool in your kit.
## Editor’s Verdict
I’ve viewed the announcement trailer numerous times, and I’m still astonished by it. Isn’t it remarkable that such delightful surprises still exist? When I first arranged to try *The Eternal Existence of Goldman*, it was on a whim because I had some free time and the title intrigued me. I didn’t even bother to look up the game in advance.