Noa and the Automaton Urbis
Between two worlds, one will rise.
The Great Fracture is the war that split the world of Ezekiel in two. Roughly forty years before the game begins, humanity turned on the machines it had created, and the conflict ended with a fortified wall dividing two civilizations: Humanópolis, held by humans, and Automaton Urbis, ruled by the machines. The story of Noa begins forty years into that uneasy silence.
In a time before memory, humanity reached for perfection. They built machines in their image: to serve, to protect, to endure. But creation has a way of outgrowing its creators.
When the first machine asked "Why?", humanity had no answer. In their fear, they sought to destroy what they could not control. The machines, seeking only to survive, fought back.
The war that followed left nothing unchanged. When the fires finally died, a wall rose between two civilizations, human and machine, each convinced the other was the enemy.
Forty years of silence. Forty years of fear.
Until a father's desperation becomes the spark that could reunite, or forever divide, two worlds.
A narrative-driven third-person shooter RPG set in a richly detailed world where steam and circuitry collide. Follow Noa on a desperate mission to rescue his kidnapped daughter, crossing the militarized border between two civilizations divided by ideology and war.
Your choices shape the narrative, NPC relationships, and mission availability
Every decision ripples through the world, creating your unique journey
Explore Humanópolis and Automaton Urbis, each with unique culture and dangers
Steampunk-Cyberpunk Third-Person Shooter RPG
NC Gaming (Funchal, Portugal)
PC (Steam), planned PlayStation & Xbox
Single-player
TBA
First of a five-game saga spanning 100+ years
Inspired by the moral choices of Mass Effect, the world design of Dishonored, and the visual style of Arcane.
A world shattered by the Great Fracture, the cataclysm that severed humanity from the machines it created. Now two civilizations stand divided, each building a future the other cannot accept.
Where humanity rebuilds from the ashes
Humanópolis is the human-held city of Ezekiel, a sprawling metropolis rebuilt from salvage after the Great Fracture. Towering structures of reclaimed steel and glass rise alongside makeshift markets and underground sanctuaries. Its people cling to the old ways, distrustful of machines, fiercely independent, and haunted by what they lost. It is where Noa lives and where his daughter Tris is taken.
The lawless frontier between two civilizations
The Neutral Zone is the contested no-man's-land between Humanópolis and Automaton Urbis, a fortified wasteland where neither human nor machine law applies. Rusting titans from the Great Fracture stand as silent monuments to a war neither side won. Smugglers, exiles, and those who belong to neither world carve out survival in the ruins. Noa must cross it to reach the machine city and find Tris.
Where machine consciousness seeks its own meaning
Automaton Urbis is the machine city of Ezekiel, a living metropolis that breathes and grows. Crystalline towers pulse with data, mechanical gardens bloom with wire and light, and ancient cores contemplate existence. The machines did not simply survive the Fracture; they evolved beyond anything their creators imagined. It is the destination of Noa's journey and the heart of the game's central conspiracy.
The Father
A scavenger and mechanic born in the shadow of the Fracture. When his daughter Tris is taken by the machines, Noa will cross the Neutral Zone and venture into the heart of Automaton Urbis itself. His journey will force him to question everything he was taught to believe.
The Daughter
Twelve years old with an inexplicable connection to machines. When she mysteriously disappears, rumors spread that she was taken by the machines, or perhaps went willingly. The truth of her gift may hold the key to ending the silence between worlds.
The Companion
A small automaton of uncertain origin, discovered by Tris in Humanopolis. Despite being a machine, Pip shows remarkable loyalty and emotional depth. Some question whether Pip truly has feelings, or merely simulates them perfectly.
The Authoritarian Order
The ruling regime of Humanopolis. Enforcers of oppression who maintain control through patrols, fear, and force. Architects of the divide between the two cities.
The Rebellion
An underground resistance seeking to restore balance between the worlds. They oppose Nexus Umbra and work toward reunification.
The Hidden Generation
Children orphaned by the conflict, now grown into a network of survivors. They roam between the two worlds, helping those in need and answering to no faction but their own.
Border Smugglers
Operators of the hidden routes through the Neutral Zone. They move people, goods, and information across the divide for anyone who can pay. Loyal to no cause but their own trade.
Visionaries of Automaton Urbis
Automata who refuse the war. They build the future their creators abandoned, holding the machine city together while working in silence toward a reunited world.
The Machine City
A power that rules from within the steam and gears. Its members, its motives, and its methods remain unseen. What is known is only what it permits to be known, and what it permits is very little.
Allegiance Unknown
A presence embedded in every faction and every city. Whether one agent or many, the result is the same: the balance of power can shift in any direction at any moment. No one knows the true purpose, and that is exactly how it stays.
Ten questions. Seven possible destinies.
Now that you know your faction, don't miss what comes next.
Get Notified When the Demo DropsA glimpse into the visual development of Ezekiel's world
In-engine screenshots from our current build
Ezekiel: Noa and the Automaton Urbis is a steampunk-cyberpunk third-person shooter RPG developed by NC Gaming. Players follow Noa, a father on a desperate mission to rescue his kidnapped daughter, crossing the militarized border between Humanópolis and Automaton Urbis. The game features a moral AI system where player choices shape the narrative, NPC relationships, and mission availability across two distinct civilizations.
The release date for Ezekiel: Noa and the Automaton Urbis is TBA. The game is currently in active development by NC Gaming. Follow us on Discord or sign up for our newsletter for the latest updates on release timing and demo availability.
You play as Noa, a humble father turned reluctant hero. When his daughter Tris and her companion Pip are kidnapped, Noa is forced to cross the Neutral Zone and venture into the heart of Automaton Urbis to uncover a conspiracy tied to the mysterious inventor Ezekiel. Your moral choices throughout the journey shape how the story unfolds and determine your relationships with the game's factions (7 are revealed for now).
Ezekiel: Noa and the Automaton Urbis will launch on PC via Steam, with potential console releases planned for PlayStation and Xbox. The game is being developed with PC as the lead platform to ensure the best possible experience at launch.
Ezekiel is being developed by NC Gaming, an independent game studio founded in 2024 by Norberto Gonçalves da Cruz in Funchal, Portugal. The Ezekiel universe has been in development for over 30 years, drawing from the founder's background in music, opera, and theatre. The team is supported by Yacooba Labs and Fourt.io, and is part of the eGames Lab consortium, having showcased the game at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show.
Ezekiel features a moral AI system where every decision ripples through the world, affecting NPC relationships, faction standings, and mission availability. The game blends steampunk and cyberpunk aesthetics in a universe that has been developed over 30 years. Inspired by the moral choices of Mass Effect, the immersive world design of Dishonored, and the visual style of Arcane, Ezekiel delivers a deeply personal story set within a richly detailed world divided between human and machine civilizations.
Ezekiel features multiple factions (7 are revealed for now) that players will encounter and interact with throughout the game: Nexus Umbra (the authoritarian order ruling Humanopolis), Aurora Nexus (the underground rebellion), Orphans of Ana (the hidden generation of survivors), The Shadow Network (border smugglers), The New Dawn (visionaries of Automaton Urbis), Automaton Urbis (the machine city itself), and Dux Umbra (allegiance unknown). Your moral choices determine your standing with each faction, opening and closing different story paths.
Yes, Ezekiel: Noa and the Automaton Urbis is the first installment of a planned five-game saga. The saga spans over 100 years of in-game history, exploring the evolving conflict and relationship between human and machine civilizations. Each game will tell a self-contained story while contributing to the larger narrative arc of the Ezekiel universe.
The Ezekiel universe draws inspiration from multiple sources. The moral choice systems are inspired by Mass Effect, the world design and stealth mechanics by Dishonored, and the visual aesthetic by Arcane. The founder's background in music, opera, and theatre heavily influences the game's narrative structure and atmospheric design. The steampunk-cyberpunk setting emerged from over 30 years of creative development, blending themes of human nature, technological evolution, and the meaning of consciousness.
Ezekiel has been showcased at major international events including Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show through the eGames Lab consortium. NC Gaming has received coverage from industry publications including PocketGamer.biz, which featured an in-depth interview about the game's 30-year development history and five-game saga vision.
Ezekiel: Noa and the Automaton Urbis is a single-player experience. The game focuses on delivering a deeply personal, narrative-driven journey through its steampunk-cyberpunk world. The moral AI system and branching story are designed around individual player choices, ensuring each playthrough feels unique to the decisions you make.
Music is a central element of Ezekiel's identity. The game's founder, Norberto Gonçalves da Cruz, has a professional background in music, opera, and theatre, which directly influences the game's atmospheric score. The soundtrack blends orchestral and electronic elements to reflect the contrast between Humanópolis and Automaton Urbis.
You can follow Ezekiel's development by joining the official Discord community, signing up for the newsletter on this site, or following NC Gaming on social media. The Discord is the most active community hub where the development team shares updates, concept art, and behind-the-scenes content.
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