Retrace the Light Launches Today on PC with Stylish Time Bending Combat

A Futuristic ARPG Built on Memory, Emotion, and AI Control

Retrace the Light, the new 2.5D action RPG from XiaMing Game and GlintForge, officially launches today on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. The release arrives with a two-week launch discount, lowering the price to make the debut more accessible for early players. Versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms are also in development, expanding the game’s reach in the months ahead.

Set a thousand years in the future, the story follows Decem, an Enforcer created by the almighty artificial intelligence Primus. This AI oversees society by rewriting the minds of citizens deemed unstable.

After a failed mission and a complete memory wipe, Decem embarks on a journey to rediscover his identity and piece together the truth behind Primus’ utopian promise. The premise places memory, doubt, and emotion at the heart of the narrative, framing the world as a fragile construct maintained by algorithmic control.

Time Manipulation and Mind Diving Shape the Core Gameplay

Retrace the Light blends fast-paced combat with time manipulation abilities that define Decem’s power set. Players enter mirror mazes that represent the internal struggles of individuals whose minds have been digitised. Each labyrinth is filled with hostile manifestations of fear, paranoia, and repressed thought.

Combat is driven by systems that reward tactical creativity. Decem’s Retrace ability lets players teleport back to past positions, dodge attacks, and create time-layered combos that unfold across multiple moments. The Volt Dash ability offers instant bursts of movement, allowing players to jump long distances or reposition in the middle of a fight. These tools create a sense of fluidity and experimentation as every encounter becomes an exercise in reading patterns and bending time to outsmart digital foes.

Custom Playstyles and Multiple Endings

Progression revolves around unlocking seven Primary Combat Modules and a wide range of Secondary Modules that can be tuned to match different styles of play. Area-focused strikes, mobility-centric builds, defensive counters, or heavily charged attacks can all be combined to create distinct approaches to each fight.

The story spans six chapters and features five different endings. Each path reveals a more profound truth about Primus, the Enforcers, and the world that has emerged from a millennium of automated control. Choices made throughout the journey influence which conclusion players reach, ensuring that exploration and character engagement have a meaningful impact.

Themes Inspired by Real World AI Research

Producer Guo Lei describes the game as a conversation between machine rationality and human emotion. As a researcher within a university AI institute, Lei approaches the game as both entertainment and commentary. Retrace the Light explores philosophical questions around memory, autonomy, and the consequences of allowing artificial systems to dictate the boundaries of human thought.

The result is an ARPG that mixes stylish action with a reflective narrative, carried by handcrafted environments and a distinctive 2.5D presentation.

Retrace the Light is now available on PC.