Factsheet
Gortyn Code
Based in Heraklion, Crete, Greece
2025
Game Boy
Game Boy Color
Description
Chantey is a classic top-down adventure, mixing open-world exploration and rhythm game elements. You play as a young-man-turned-pirate, entangled in a fierce pirate vendetta between the descendants of the legendary ‘Nightingale Pirate’ on a quest to rule the seven seas beneath the vibrant echoes of rousing pirate metal anthems. Set in an alternate history where Golden Age pirate mythology and headbanging metal riffs collide, embark on an epic journey to re-assemble and revive the Nightingale Pirate’s heavy metal legacy, navigate treacherous waters, overcome notorious enemies, and survive the horrors lurking beneath the ocean’s waves. Chantey offers a unique, cross-genre experience, combining elements of classic adventure and rhythm gameplay with modern game design, and is presented in a strikingly unique visual style that pushes the hardware to its limits. Chantey further features an original soundtrack that echoes the distinctive sound of pirate metal music, thereby paying tribute to the genre’s legendary and trailblazing bands.
History
Chantey is an extended version of Chantey (Prologue), which was entered to the Game Boy Competition 2023 (GB Compo 23) game jam, a GAMEBOY™-themed development competition which ran from 15 June to 15 September 2023. Motivated by the exceptionally favorable reception of the demo, including praise for the game’s unique gameplay, art direction, music and graphics, as well as a top-10 finish in the competition itself, development of the full game began in October 2023, scheduled for release in 2025. Whereas the game will feature many of the same distinctive assets and gameplay, new elements, features and a gigantic open world will be developed and incorporated in the full release.
Features
- A Cross-Genre Masterpiece: Experience a unique blend of top-down adventure and rhythm-based combat, with frantic rhythm sections during battles for an epic gameplay experience.
- An Expansive, Open World: Discover a massive open world with 11 towns, ports, settlements, and several smaller, hidden locations to explore or revisit.
- 8-Bit Pixel Art Excellence: Enjoy painstakingly detailed graphics, down to each sprite and screen, lovingly crafted by hand to push the graphic capacity of 8-bit.
- A Pirate Metal Symphony Soundtrack: Immerse yourself in the world’s first video game inspired by pirate metal music, featuring an extensive soundtrack of original pirate metal compositions and 8-bit renditions of classical sea chanteys like “Drunken Sailor” and “Bully In The Alley”.
Keyart
Images
Logos & Icon
Game Logo
Studio Logo
About Gortyn Code
Boilerplate
Gortyn Code is an indie game studio based in Heraklion, Greece, specializing in crafting timeless retro gaming experiences. Combining our deep technical expertise with a passion for classic storytelling, we aim to revive nostalgic game experiences while redefining the boundaries of retro gaming.
More information
More information on Gortyn Code, our logo & relevant media are available here.
Credits
Konstantinos C. Apostolakis | Founder
Game design, programming, artwork and graphics, music and sound, story and dialogue.
Additional Credits
- Logo design by Aaron Gadol (@CRTOGRPHR)
- GB Studio by Chris Maltby (@maltby)
Contact
Inquiries
X (formerly Twitter)
Website
The relevant product names, logos, and trademarks, registered or not, are the property of their respective owners. They are used in this website for identification and format compatibility purposes only. Use of them does not imply endorsement.
NINTENDO® is a trademark of Nintendo Co., Ltd; GAMEBOY™ is a trademark of Nintendo Co., Ltd.