Skip to content
Geeky Alien
Matelotes

Screenshots

Matelotes screenshot 1
Gameplay trailer trailerWatch trailer on Steam ↗

Matelotes

ARTE France, La Poule Noire · Published by ARTE France

Last updated 28 Sept 2026

The Royal Hen has disappeared! Lead a group of enthusiastic (though unqualified) sailors on a quest for glory, riches, and, as fate would have it, poultry. Visit a variety of islands, resolve political conflicts, and upgrade your boat in this narrative adventure game inspired by RPGs.

Free to PlayComing SoonDJCTQ 14Full Controller Support

Free

View on Steam

Prices can lag the live Steam store — always confirm before buying.

Adventure, Indie, RPG, Strategy · 2027 · More free games

Lead untrained sailors on a quest for glory and riches as you explore various islands and resolve political conflicts. Upgrade your boat and solve puzzles in Matelotes, an adventure game from ARTE France and La Poule Noire.

About this game

A chicken has disappeared, and the whole kingdom has been turned upside down. But have no fear, a group of sailors is on the case, hoisting anchor to explore the kingdom's islands in search of the animal.

…but they could really use some help.

MANAGE A CREW THAT LEAVES A BIT TO BE DESIRED

Some unscrupulous folk might call your crew a lost cause… Prove them wrong: get the team to muscle up by training in the barracks, have them chit-chat at the tavern to boost their charisma, or jump at an unexpected opportunity to improve their skills.

You'll quickly discover that each crew member has their own strengths and weaknesses. Assigning them to the tasks that suit them best will be crucial to the success of your endeavor or, failing that, keeping the damage to a minimum.

But make no mistake: even though your sailors might not always stand out for their strength or their wit, they've got heart and a story to tell. Some might even have a checkered past… but you know what they say about rumors.

And, because teamwork makes the dream work, you can recruit up to 10 different sailors to help out during your epic quest (note: the word "epic" is not legally binding).

INFLUENCE MAJOR POLITICAL DISPUTES (OR NEIGHBORHOOD GRIEVANCES)

The Kingdom of Sauzic is teeming with conflict, some larger than others, and the disappearance of the Royal Hen is really not helping.

Every island explored will give your sailors a chance to set off on new adventures, where each decision you make will determine the future of the kingdom, your ship, or what you'll be eating for breakfast tomorrow.

Four different factions will cross your path, each with their own ambitions and problems, and all of them, let’s be honest, are much better prepared than your crew. It's up to you to decide to help them (even if that means giving them a leg up in the hunt) or make waves instead, at the risk of facing the consequences later.

After all, if rocking the boat means you'll find the Hen first, who could blame you? You might even uncover evidence of a conspiracy with stakes far greater than the simple disappearance of a bird, however noble said bird may be. No offense to any chickens reading this.

SAIL AROUND SAUZIC, AN ANCIENT KINGDOM WHERE NO ONE HAS YET MANAGED TO ACTUALLY DRAW A MAP

While the Hen may be the pride and joy of Sauzic, the same cannot be said of its cartographers. Since no one has yet to make a halfway decent map of the area, your crew will have to set sail across a sea that's never fully visible, procedurally generated with each new game.

Map out your journey: decide to either make land or go full steam ahead to try and outpace your rivals. But don't go overboard! Sailing is no walk in the park, and your sailors have limits: keep a weather eye on their hunger and fatigue, or else you might just find yourself on the other side of a mutiny…

Fortunately, all is not lost. For a few coins, the shipwright can upgrade your ship to make it faster, sturdier, and, with a little luck, able to weather the crew’s antics.

Features:

  • EXPLORE a procedurally generated sea and chart a course from island to island.

  • TRAIN your team and assign each sailor to the tasks that suit them best.

  • INFLUENCE four rival factions through alliances, acts of sabotage, and the decisions you make.

  • UPGRADE your ship while managing your crew's hunger, fatigue, and a variety of different statuses.

  • FIND the Royal Hen, and figure out what's really going on beneath the surface in the Kingdom of Sauzic.

System Requirements

Will my PC run this? →

Minimum

Minimum:
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS *: Windows 7
  • Processor: Intel i5 Quad-Core
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Intel HD 4000
  • Storage: 1 GB available space

Recommended

Recommended:
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system

Supported Languages

French, English, German

Latest news

  • AnnouncementsOfficial

    Road to 10,000 wishlists

    Hey guys, We hit 5,000 wishlists less than a week after reveal! Thanks so much for your help. See you on a boat, La Poule Noire
    Read full article on Community Announcements (La Poule Noire)
  • AnnouncementsOfficial

    Looking for Fael is 15% off for a limited time! 🧩

    Fael is missing. Now, it's up to you to uncover the truth. In Looking for Fael, your roommate has disappeared, leaving behind a strange voice message and a multifaceted maze of mysterious rooms filled with puzzles. Along the way, you'll have to:Explore surreal apartmentsSolve puzzles in the form of nostalgic mini-gamesDecipher the clues left behindQuestion the very nature of realityBut be careful: every apartment is connected, and your actions in one place can have unexpected consequences somewhere else. Ready to find out what happened to Fael? Looking for Fael is now available at 15% off!
    Read full article on Community Announcements (artefranceweb)
  • AnnouncementsOfficial

    Announcing Matelotes

    Dive into a dice light-RPG driven by randomness, strategy and procedural generation!Ahoy sailors,Matelotes will be released in Early Access in 2027!So, why Early Access? We chose Early Access for Matelotes to have the best version possible in V1. And who is better to help in this task than you, sailors!Matelotes is a mix of strategic management and randomness. Your feedback will be crucial in balancing the game and making the experience coherent. Also, the early access will give us the opportunity to add surprises to your Matelotes’ journey along the way.We are working on a roadmap so wishlist Matelotes to stay tuned for news about Early Access!
    Read full article on Community Announcements (artefranceweb)

We use strictly necessary cookies to run this site. We don't currently set any analytics or advertising cookies. See our Cookie Policy for details.