The Red Dunes Games booth at Tokyo Game Show 2025 introduced Port of Jumanah, a rogue‑lite action‑adventure developed in collaboration with Indonesian studio Agate. Cubed3’s hands‑on demo was not about charting seas, but about plunging beneath them. Lead character, Mansour’s dive began in silence, broken only by the ripple of water and the glint of a lurking crustacean.
Port of Jumanah’s TGS demo wasted no time in showing its intent: a rogue‑lite adventure where every chamber feels like uncharted territory. Rather than sailing across open seas, the playable slice dropped players into a chain of procedurally-generated underwater rooms. Each chamber shifted in layout and enemy placement, forcing quick reactions and rewarding adaptability. The design was simple but effective, capturing the unpredictability that defines the genre.
The art direction carried a distinct identity. Inspired by Middle Eastern folklore and coastal traditions, the world shimmered with colour, complete with coral‑lined caverns, glowing fauna, and expressive character designs. Mansour’s movements were fluid, his strikes sharp, and the underwater setting gave combat a buoyant rhythm that set it apart from more grounded action‑adventures. Combat was the heart of the demo. Mansour’s toolkit blended swift melee attacks with ranged abilities, encouraging players to chain combos while dodging enemy counters. Each successful exchange fed into resource collection, hinting at the upgrade systems that will underpin longer runs. The responsiveness of the controls stood out, with dodges carrying just enough invincibility to reward precise timing.
The demo culminated in a clash with a giant crustacean, a battle that hinted at the scale of boss encounters promised for the full release. It was a brief but memorable encounter, teasing spectacle without overstaying its welcome. Beyond the demo, official materials confirm that Port of Jumanah will expand into a broader seafaring adventure. Sailing between oceans, recruiting companions – including quirky allies and even a cat – and uncovering treasures are all part of the full design. These systems were absent from the TGS build, but they remain central to the game’s identity.
Agate’s role as co‑developer added another layer of interest. The Indonesian studio has built a reputation for weaving cultural storytelling into accessible design, and its collaboration with Red Dunes Games ensures Port of Jumanah isn’t just another indie rogue‑lite. It’s a project that carries regional identity into a global spotlight. The demo was brief, but it left a mark. Its rooms were small, its enemy roster limited, and its upgrade systems only hinted at. However, the mood lingered: a sense of mystery, of potential, of a world waiting to be uncovered. It was less a showcase of features than a promise of tone, and that promise was intriguing.
