Vholume, parkour game from Straftat co-creator, launches August 21 with multiplayer

Fans of Mirror's Edge and Hot Lava have a new indie title to watch: Vholume, a melancholic first-person parkour adventure, arrives August 21. The developers describe it as a "melancholic first-person parkour adventure," and trailers show overgrown brutalist structures and a gloomy atmosphere instead of the genre's usual energetic soundtrack — the score features subdued synth ambience punctuated by footsteps and effortful grunts.

Only three people are credited as developers on Steam, including a member of the Lemaitre Bros. duo known for Straftat, which was named 2024's best FPS by reviewers. Vholume includes multiplayer: players can race each other in real time or compete against ghost recordings of other users.

The story also nods to genre classics: the protagonist must obtain "ration tickets" for his family in a dystopian world. The creators emphasize that parkour suits themes of freedom and resistance — escaping a cage is pointless without the ability to run and jump.

Those interested can try a demo of Vholume now on its Steam page. Several other Mirror's Edge-like projects are also on the horizon, giving genre fans plenty of options.