Voidling Bound is a quirky and creative creature-collecting game in which players collect, mutate and control a variety of creatures. Essentially a blend of Spore, Pokémon and Warframe, it is the debut game from Canadian studio Hatchery Games, whose team comprises former Skylanders developers.
Why can't players control the creatures themselves in creature-collecting games? That's probably what the developers at Canadian studio Hatchery Games were thinking when they created their debut game, Voidling Bound. Breaking away from the classic turn-based 'monster-collecting formula' (as seen in Pokémon), it features direct real-time combat from a third-person perspective (similar to Warframe). Players take on the role of a Space Wrangler who must save the galaxy from a parasitic corruption. The only weapons against it are Voidlings: highly adaptable alien creatures controlled by the Space Wrangler via neural telepathy.
Voidling Bound © Hatchery Games
These monsters are controlled directly in fast-paced shooter battles featuring fluid controls that feel satisfying. Each creature has its own set of attacks and special abilities - like the frames in Warframe - and players use these to complete short expeditions that blend procedurally generated and handcrafted areas. There, they fight infected enemies, destroy corruption nests and collect resources, as well as Voidling eggs of varying rarity.
Players can customise their Voidlings by choosing from a variety of evolution paths, which unlock new appearances, abilities and powerful build combinations © Hatchery Games
Back in the hub ship, the eggs are hatching between missions. There are nine base types of Voidling, but their evolutionary branches are extensive. Mutagens allow players to control the elemental alignment of the monsters, and through targeted breeding, their attributes and inheritable abilities can be combined. And players can level up their Voidlings and assign attribute points to adapt them to their play style, choosing from strength, vitality, essence, recuperation or agility. This is how they create and customise their 'ultimate killing machine'. Experimenting in the Gene Forge is fun, and decisions regarding mutations have a noticeable impact on gameplay. This is especially true given the exceptionally well-designed creature designs. Players can collect body parts, colours, and eye genes to alter the appearance of their specimens.
Although the game is designed for short gameplay sessions, its mission objectives and survival challenges tend to repeat themselves. It lacks variety in terms of both enemies and map designs. The Abyss, an endless progression mode, offers some variety, with increasingly dangerous enemies and escalating rewards for those willing to venture deeper. However, this does not solve the issue of mission variety. The story and narration are deliberately brief because breeding and upgrading the creatures is the central motivational element. It's a shame, however, that there’s no co-op mode - that would have been a good addition.
Voidling Bound © Hatchery Games
Voidling Bound is the debut title from Hatchery Games, an independent game development studio based in Quebec City. Founded in 2020, the studio received an Epic MegaGrant in 2022 and now has a team of just over ten people. Jonathan Rancourt is the co-founder and creative director at Hatchery Games. He has 13 years of experience working as an artist, team lead, and project director in the video game industry - from Skylanders to Borderlands 3. Simon Grelier is the co-founder and technical director. He worked as a programmer at Ubisoft and Beenox for eight years, working on titles such as Rainbow Six: Siege, Skylanders and Call of Duty. Frederick Gagnon is the co-founder and executive producer. He handles the PR and marketing for the game. With 17 years' experience as a game developer, lead and animation supervisor in VFX (Alien: Covenant, Stranger Things: Season 3), he is also responsible for rigging, audio and music direction. Carl-Simon Picard is the co-founder and narrative director. With 13 years' experience as a team lead and animator in video games (Skylanders, The Amazing Spider-Man) and VFX production (Alien: Covenant, Stranger Things: Season 3 and His Dark Materials), he is responsible for animation direction as well as designing narrative quests and the game's universe.
Voidling Bound was released on 09 June 2026 for PC (Steam and the Epic Games Store) at a price of €25.49. Prior to its release, the game had amassed nearly 400,000 wish list entries, and a demo offered players an early glimpse of the game. A console release is also planned for later on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.
Voidling Bound is a highly entertaining mix of shooter and creative genetic lab. It really shines thanks to its in-depth creature breeding system. While the progression is rewarding, the game lacks variety, and the addition of a co-op mode would be welcome.
