New Release: Cannon Dancer - Osman

An enhanced edition of a bombastic arcade actioner, from Mitchell Corporation and ININ Games

New Release: Hazard Saviour

An open world platformer inspired by Crazy Taxi, from Sinclair Strange

New Release: Ginsha

An open world action-adventure that takes place across multiple planets, from PolarityFlow

New Release: Haunted Lands: Burial Grounds

A tough and bloody DOS-style shooter, from Alexey Goryachev

New Release: Curse of the Sea Rats

An open world action-adventure featuring 2D animation and 3D environments, from Petoons Studio

December 31, 2016

Proximity Alert: Double Dragon IV

Bimmy and Jimmy, er... Billy and Jimmy are back! Arc System Works is revisiting the series with Double Dragon IV. Now, this title may be a big confusing since there was already a crappy 1:1 fighter called Double Dragon V on the SNES, Genesis, and Jaguar (we own it; it's terrible), but this is an all-new game in the series that takes place after the events of Double Dragon II, using the series' original sprite art. A number of team members form the original arcade release have joined the team as well. Players can go it alone or team up with a friend to bash in some faces, spin kick gang members, and pummel the occasional Abobo.

The game is set for release on PS4 via PSN and PC via Steam on January 30, 2017. 2017 also marks the 30 year anniversary for the series.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

December 27, 2016

Target Acquired: Gunmetal Arcadia Zero

Gunmetal Arcadia Zero was just released by Minor Key Games, the developers behind You Have to Win the Game and its follow-up, Super Win the Game, as well as the Lovecraftian roguelike Eldritch. The game is a standalone precursor to the studio's upcoming roguelike Gunmetal Arcadia which is slated to release on February 7, 2017.

Unlike the developer's previous works, Gunmetal Arcadia Zero is largely linear, offering six distinct areas for the player to explore as he works to defeat the creatures of the Unmade Empire. Combat is in the style of Zelda II, with a short-range sword that can be used to attack enemies while standing or ducking, or turned downward to repeatedly smash enemies while bouncing on their heads. Along the way, the player encounters numerous shops offering new weapons, keys to locked doors, movement and combat upgrades, and increased capacity for secondary projectile weapons and bombs.

The game is now available for PC, Mac, ad Linux on Steam, Humble Store, and Itch.io. Check our coverage here.




December 22, 2016

New Blip: Aggelos

Aggelos is currently under development by Storybird Games, the studio behind the Finding Teddy series. The game is a traditional action-adventure where you play a sword-wielding hero on a quest to defeat an evil villain and rescue the princess. Along the way, you'll stab the hell out of bears, birds, hermit crabs, spiders, and other wildlife that stands in the way of your victory. Along the way, you'll learn new sword attacks and projectile-based spells to defeat your enemies and reach new areas, and you can level up to increase your strength and defense. Per retro adventuring standards, a number of friendly NPC's await you in a village to help point you in the right direction.

The game is coming to PC via Steam sometime around February of 2017. A demo is available via Itch.io.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

December 20, 2016

Target Acquired: Wild Guns Reloaded

The cult classic shooter Wild Guns, from Natsume, has returned with a modern-day iteration more than two decades after its SNES debut. The new game features four playable characters, including Clint and Annie from the original, as well as Doris and Bullet the dog and his hovering drone. While the original game offered 2P couch co-op, the new game boasts 4P online co-op. Also new to the experience are several new stages - but the original levels are in there too - as well as new weapons and bosses. Unlike most shooters, players are positioned in the foreground and move a cursor around the screen to blast away at enemies in a robot-filled Wild West environment, while dodge-rolling to avoid incoming fire.

The game is now available for PS4 via PSN, or as a physical release.




December 18, 2016

Target Acquired: Even the Ocean

Analgesic Productions, the studio behind the pixelly action-adventure Anodyne have returned with a narrative platformer. Even the Ocean (site) features light and dark energy, which impact your abilities depending on how much you’ve absorbed. Dark energy is associated with horizontal energy, allowing you to run faster and jump farther, where light energy is associated with vertical energy, allowing you to jump higher. However, if you absorb too much of either kind of energy, you will die. You also have a shield that allows you to block energy to manually adjust your meter in certain situations.

Even the Ocean is now available for PC and Mac via Steam, GOG, Itch.io, Humble Store, and Green Man Gaming. Check our coverage here.




December 15, 2016

Proximity Alert: Rise & Shine

2016 was another great year for 2D game fans, and 2017 is getting ready to kick off with some colorful shooty action from Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team. Rise & Shine is about a kid named Rise and his gun named Shine. All around him a war is raging against the Space Grunts, gigantic musclebound interplanetary soldiers who have invaded Rise's world. But Rise is a sharp kid, and he has a weapon capable of firing of many different kinds of ammunition, including radio-controlled bullets that he can steer around corners, allowing him to defeat enemies, avoid detection, and solve puzzles... and occasionally face off against the Space Grunts on his own. Taking a cue from classic video games, Rise's dilapidated world is filled with life and color, rather than the browns and greys so often seen in modern 3D titles.

Rise & Shine is coming to PC via Steam and Xbox One via Microsoft Store on January 13.


December 13, 2016

News: Feist Comes to Consoles

The award-winning Feist first landed on PC, Mac, and Linux last year, and today it arrives on PS4 and Xbox One... depending on your region. The Xbox One version and European PS4 versions have been delayed.

The game is presented in a silhouette style reminiscent of Limbo, with floaty jumps and a strong sense of style and atmosphere. The physics-based navigation and combat is occasionally problematic, as we outlined in our coverage here, but the game does offer an organic universe with unique creature interactions that set it apart from other atmospheric platformers.




December 11, 2016

Target Acquired: Way of the Red

In Way of the Red (game site), you play the role of an accomplished swordsman who comes from a race of birdmen, and he is one of the last of his kind. Setting out on an adventure to find purpose in his life, he is shot out of the sky and captured by humans who turn birdmen into slaves. You soon discover that the human king is obsessed with something called "red seeds", which contain a mysterious power. Escaping, you fight your way through enemies using fast-paced sword techniques and projectile attacks, along with your ability to glide and climb walls. Discovering red seeds allows you to gain new abilities - at the cost of mutation - giving you additional tools to fight your way through the humans and beasts that stand in your way.

Way of the Red is now available for PC via Steam. Check our coverage here.




December 10, 2016

Proximity Alert: Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

It has been pushed back a few times, but the Kickstarter-backed Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, from WayForward, is now less than two weeks away! The game is set to release digitally on December 20 for PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, and Wii U, but there are some physical versions on their way as well... the Risky Beats physical editions are coming to PS4 and Vita December 20, with the Wii U version hitting a week later on December 27.

This newest release in the Shantae series will retain the core mechanics of those previous, with Shantae whipping her hair to kill enemies, exploring colorful platforming worlds, and doing the occasional bit of belly dancing. Shantae will use magical animal transformations to explore the land and even return to previous areas to access new paths, metroidvania-style. Like the studio's own DuckTales Remastered, this game features 2D characters and enemies with 3D objects and environments. Check our full preview here, or get caught up with WayForward's other 2D releases with our extensive coverage of those games linked here.



December 9, 2016

News: LaserCat Hops onto Steam

Believe it or not, before Steam, the Wild West of game development was on the Xbox 360, in a little known marketplace called Xbox Live Indie Games. Over the years, many of the best games from XBLIG have made their way onto Steam, but others have been lost to time... and will be lost forever when Microsoft terminates the service in 2017. But one more game has been saved from oblivion, and it's one of our favorites.

LaserCat, from MonsterJail, is now available for PC via Steam. This is an open world action adventure game that borrows its aesthetics from VVVVVV, but offers more basic gameplay. You're a cat - a laser cat - who must rescue your owl friend from a magical space frog by navigating a giant 225-room structure. You may travel in any direction you like, collecting keys that will allow you to access new sections, and answering some basic (and often humorous) trivia questions along the way.

This was a 99 cent game on XBLIG, and it still is, so there's no reason to pass it up. It's pretty no-frills, but that doesn't mean it's no fun, and its simplicity is half the charm. And just so you don't accidentally stumble across some old SNL sketches, we included the actual game trailer below.




December 5, 2016

Target Acquired: In Extremis

In Extremis, from LNDFRR is a vertical shmup with a unique set of aesthetic qualities. The game offers branching paths, allowing the player to select from several possible level choices, each themed differently. For instance, one area sees the player blasting through ASCii characters over a background of computer code, another has the player destroying musical instruments, and another has the player floating through an Electroplankton-style underwater area. Players may spend one level destroying demons and giant slugs, and another taking on teddy bears and cars in a giant toy box. By achieving high scores, the player is able to unlock new weapon types and unlock additional continues. Players may elect to take the game on in Easy Mode for a more casual experience, or crank the difficulty up with Hard Mode for a faster-paced bullet hell experience.

The game is now available for PC via Steam. Check our coverage here.




December 1, 2016

Early Arrival: Orange Moon

Moon Resources Corp. wants to offer you a job on the moon... but mining for resources can be dangerous with its harsh landscape, hostile wildlife, raiders, and the occasional ancient alien technology. Fortunately, you're well armed for the task with access to a machine gun, shotgun, flamethrower, rocket launcher, and minigun, each of which can be upgraded and loaded with specialized ammo types that allow them to pierce armor, burn enemies, or explode on contact. In Orange Moon, from Betelgeuse Zero, players move through a dangerous underground world, exploring the environment, defeating enemies and bosses, and gathering resources to upgrade their firepower and other abilities, including their grenades and jetpack-assisted jump.

The game available PC via Steam Early Access. Additionally, a demo is available on Indie DB.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 30, 2016

New Blip: No Place for Bravery

No Place for Bravery, from developer Glitch Factory, is a time-manipulation roguelike featuring a band of warriors travelling through a procedurally-generated fantasy world on a quest to defeat powerful creatures of godlike proportions, inspired by the atmosphere of Hyper Light Drifter and the time manipulation mechanics of Super Time Force. The time manipulation mechanic allows the player to control all of the warriors simultaneously, swapping between characters at will to use their different abilities, and strategizing their movements in order to get the timing right for current and future attacks. The game is a nearly narrative-free experience, relying on environmental storytelling rather than bouts of exposition, and focusing instead on the complexity of its mechanics, which feature 1-hit kills and permadeath.

The game is coming to PC and Mac in Fall of 2017.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 27, 2016

Target Acquired: Super Rad Raygun

Super Rad Raygun, from TRU FUN Entertainment, is an updated and greatly expanded version of the original Rad Raygun, which was released on Xbox Live Indie Games in 2013. While the original game contained only five stages, the new game has more than 20, and the core gameplay has been completely rebalanced. Gone are the in-level upgrades, replaced by an expansive battery-and-slot system where players can swap upgrades in and out at will, increasing their firepower, agility, and even the strength of Rad's backlight, as the character is an anthropomorphic Game Boy. The game is presented in four shades of green - with several unlockable color palettes - and numerous references to Mega Man and several classic Nintendo titles.

The game is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam. Check our coverage here.




November 22, 2016

New Blip: RPGolf

Golf is one of those sports that rarely gets a genre crossover. For every Ninja Golf or Ribbit King, there's a dozen Mutant League Football, Super Baseball 2020, or *gulp* Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball spinoff titles. What's more, RPGolf, from developer ArticNet, is not a simulator but rather a fantasy action-RPG with swordplay, treasure chests... and actual golf. The game takes place over 18 holes as you knock your ball onto the green, into the bunker, and into water hazards while also contending with enemies wandering around the playfield. Players may select between a warrior, wizard, or rogue, each with different abilities and equipment, and players may level up by defeating enemies, which results in stronger attacks and a longer drive. Players can also stop off at the clubhouse, work on their skills on a practice range, buy new equipment, and craft better clubs to better their game.

The game will be released on PC, Mac, iOS, and Android, but does not yet have an announced release date.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 20, 2016

Target Acquired: Ninja Smasher

Ninja Smasher, from Q-Cumber Factory and PUMO, is a retro-style open world actioner starring a blue ninja on a mission to rescue a princess. As the ninja acquires new abilities, he gains new combat abilities and the ability to explore more of the world around him. Fireballs allow the ninja to strike enemies from a distance as well as light candles that open certain gates. Wind can be used to hit distant foes as well as slice through ropes. Water can be used to extinguish candles, which also opens gates. In addition to exploring the open world, several dungeons await, each offering unique challenges and terminating in a boss encounter.

The game released earlier this year on 3DS via the eShop and is coming to PC via Steam on November 24. Check our coverage here.




November 18, 2016

New Blip: Thy Sword

Thy Sword, from Game Phase, is a chunky lo-fi action adventure platformer set in a fantasy world. The player selects a sword-wielding warrior to take on the quest and can eventually unlock additional playable characters as well. Player combat foes with sword strikes, bows and arrows, and magic, and can meet up with NPC's to purchase new items, weapon upgrades, and health restoratives. Players can go it alone or team up with a friend for local 2P co-op or enter into player vs. player combat. Levels are procedurally generated and take place over a number of traditional fantasy locales including forests, mountains, and caves, which are selectable from a world map.

The game is coming to PC via Steam, and possibly additional platforms, but does not yet have an announced release date. A playable demo is available via the developer's website.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 16, 2016

New Blip: Eagle Island

Eagle Island, from Nick Gregory, is a procedurally-generated platformer starring a young falconer and his owl companion as they explore a colorful world of forests, mines, coastal caverns, and other locales. The player has the standard array of platformer moves, and he is also able to launch the owl in multiple directions, striking enemies at a distance to damage them. The game world is made up of interconnected areas, allowing exploration to locate key items and backtracking through previously visited areas in order to open the path forward. By discovering magical feathers, the player is able to change the owl's form and unlock new abilities.

The game is planned for PC and Mac and does not yet have a planned release date.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 15, 2016

New Blip: Cyber Shadow

Cyber Shadow from developer Aarne Hunziker, is a throwback to classic ninja games, starring a blade-wielding warrior with access to elemental-based special attacks... provided you are willing to take the lives of your clansmen; otherwise, you can go the tougher route of taking on enemies with just your sword. Those who move beyond the sword will find fast-flying shuriken, a fire attack, and explosive kunai. Players can expect classically-tough gameplay with loads of ninja enemies, as well as flying robots, deadly machinery, and and huge bosses ready to mete out a swift end.

The game is bound for PC and Mac via Steam but does not yet have an official release date. There's also no trailer yet, but the thing is looking sharp, so you only get a screenshot for now, but you can check the dev's twitter for loads of sweet GIFs.


To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 13, 2016

Target Acquired: Thoth

Developer Jeppe Carlsen is mostly known for his work with Playdead Games on Limbo and Inside, but he also spends some time working on games of his own, including the minimalist puzzle-platformer 140. Now he's back with Thoth, a twin-stick shooter that requires a bit of puzzle-solving to complete each level, along with the typical arcade-style reflex-based dodgy-shooty. The game is aesthetically similar to 140 with enemies made up of simple geometric shapes and backgrounds that are literally just the 2-digit level numbers. Players can twin-stick alone or go quad-stickin' with a friend in 2P co-op.

The game is now available for PC and Mac via Steam. Check our coverage here.




November 10, 2016

New Blip: Fox n Forests

It seems that the season-changing fox-based platformer genre is starting to get a bit crowded, what with this and the long-in-development Seasons After Fall. Developer Bonus Level Entertainment (game tweets) presents Fox n Forests, a game inspired by the colorful platformers of the 16-bit era. You play the role of a fox as he travels through various environments (including forests) on a quest to uncover the legendary 5th season. Along the way, the fox controls the existing four seasons, allowing winter to give spring and summer a miss and go straight on into autumn, and changing the world around him. For instance, the impassable waterways of summer may be safely passed by changing the season to winter and freezing them over. The fox uses a short-range sword and various projectile attacks to take down pixellated foes as he hops across platforms, slides down ziplines, and collects coins, as well as facing off against the occasional screen-filling boss.

The game is planned for release on PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, XB1, and Switch at an as yet undetermined date.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 8, 2016

New Blip: Indivisible

Indivisible is an action-RPG from Lab Zero Games, the developers of Skullgirls... and those guys know how to run a crowdfunding campaign. Skullgirls was developed after raising over $800,000 on Indiegogo, and Indivisible has raised nearly $2 million. The game stars Ajna who sets out across the world to discover the origin of her powers, which allow her to absorb and summon various beings, and she is joined along the way by a number of characters who fight alongside her. In addition to Lab Zero's trademark 2D designs, the game is accompanied by a soundtrack from Hiroki Kikuta, best known for his work on Secret of Mana. The game mixes action platforming (in 3D environments) with turn-based battles and the ability to inflict damage to enemies prior to battle, Paper Mario-style.

The game also features loads of crossover characters from other 2D indie games, including the lead characters from Shovel Knight, Hyper Light Drifter, Curses 'n Chaos, and Guacamelee, as well as the skateboarding 80's dinosaur from Super Time Force, and Shantae from WayForward's Shantae series.

The game is coming to PC, Mac, and Linux Via Steam, PS4 via PSN, and Xbox One via XBLA, and is planned for release in January 2018. A prototype demo is available via the game's Indiegogo page, which can be played on PC, Mac, Linux, and US/EU PS4 systems.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 6, 2016

Target Acquired: Gonner

Gonner, from developer Art in Heart (game site), is a procedurally-generated platformer with a bit of roguelike tossed in for good measure. In this game, you'll want to stay on the move as you blast away at a variety of monochromatic enemies while occasionally being eaten and shat out in order to move between levels. The player has access to a number of blasty weapons including a machine gun, shotgun and laser rifle, which will help him to stave off a trip to the underworld for a little while. But dying lets you pick out new weapons and a new head, which affects your skills during your next run, increasing your resilience or letting you do things like perform a spinning double jump. But you lose your head if you take damage (and your gun), and you have a limited time to retrieve it or your next hit sends you back to the underworld.

Gonner is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, GOG, Humble Store, Bundle Stars, and Green Man Gaming. Check our coverage here.




November 5, 2016

News: Blaster Master Zero Announced

Inti Creates, the developer behind Azure Striker Gunvolt and the bulk of the latter-day Mega Man games, announced today that they will be releasing a new entry in the Blaster Master series. Blaster Master Zero promises an 8-bit-style experience with retro 2D visuals but with some modern hardware improvements. The game features a number of areas from the original Blaster Master, but also adds several new areas and bosses, as well as new movement types and weapons for SOPHIA 3rd, and expanded and improved gameplay for on-foot explorations sequences.

The player once again assumes the role of Jason Frudnick, star of the original game (although the name "Frudnick" only appeared in the Worlds of Power Blaster Master novella), and will once again feature Jason chasing Fred and falling into a subterranean world where he finds SOPHIA 3rd conveniently parked nearby. In some added backstory, it appears that humanity once inhabited the underworld after the planet entered an ice age... during which time a strange comet struck Earth, and the story picks up hundreds of years later, with Fred being referred to as a mysterious creature of unknown origin.

   
Yes, folks, it is possible that the world will be receiving its first ever good 2D Blaster Master sequel (or prequel, or whatever it ends up being... as long as they go easy on the inter-species erotica from Blaster Master: Blasting Again). For more details on the original game, check out our coverage of Blaster Master, and for more details on Inti Creates' pedigree in 2D game development, check out our coverage of Mega Man ZX Advent, Azure Striker Gunvolt, and Mighty Gunvolt.

Blaster Master Zero is coming to 3DS via the eShop in Spring 2017. We threw a slew of screenshots below which show off some of the game's familiar locales.


November 4, 2016

Target Acquired: Twisted Fusion

Twisted Fusion is a Wii U-exclusive action-adventure from Leuvsion, a studio known previously for games on mobile devices and tablets. The game centers on a redheaded girl named Cora who is armed with a water pistol, and she can eventually pick up some limited-use special weapons such as water balloons and garden sprinklers. Fortunately, her enemies’ greatest weakness is water, so she is able to blast her foes into oblivion with the power of dihydrogen monoxide. The game also features a day/night cycle and a weather system, featuring stronger enemies in the evening (what a horrible night, etc.), and enemies that are more aggressive when it’s raining… which seems a bit odd considering the fact that water kills them.

Twisted Fusion is now available for Wii U via the eShop.



November 3, 2016

New Blip: Blink

Blink, from nextReality has a somewhat odd premise in that it is a “second person” puzzle platformer. While the player takes control of the character on the screen, the character is actually being observed by an unseen being. When the being closes its eyes, the world persists, but everything is plunged into darkness. All that remains are the after effects of objects in the world that were illuminated, and these become the platforms on which the player walks. By manipulating light sources, the player can cast light on anything, even something as insubstantial as a patch of fog, and then use it in the darkened version of the world. The player may also use this mechanic to pass through otherwise solid object that cease to have corporeality when the being closes its eyes.

Blink is headed to PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam in January 2017.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

November 1, 2016

Target Acquired: Owlboy

Owlboy, from D-Pad Studio, is a game about a student owl named Otus who wears a cloak that allows him to fly. The world in which he lives is made up of a series of floating islands, which has recently come under attack by sky pirates. Otus has set out on a quest to stop the sky pirates and save his home village of Vellie. But in order to do this, he will need some help.

Otus is a more-than-capable platforming hero – especially given the fact that he can fly freely – but he is lacking in offensive abilities. He has a spin attack that knocks enemies back, and he can pick up items such as rocks and toss them at the baddies, but he has no projectiles of his own. To assist him in this department are a number of gunners that can be carried through the environment, and the player is able to use them to aim and fire in any direction.

At first, the player will have access to only a single gunner, a somewhat meek friend named Geddy, who has the advantage of firing at a high rate of speed. Throughout your journey, you are able to recruit new gunners, and switch between them at will, giving you a number of different offensive options. Each gunner has different projectile types and firing rates.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, GOG, and Humble Store, or you can get a physical copy on IndieBox. We'll have more info on the game soon, once our physical copy arrives... In the meantime, enjoy the game's new trailer below. FYI, the physical version features a game disc in a case - with dual cover art - as well as a soundtrack CD, full color manual, and a Steam code.



October 30, 2016

Target Acquired: Butcher

Butcher, from Transhuman Design, is a gritty low-rez sidescrolling actioner inspired by 90's era corridor crawlers with a strong focus on loud blasts of gunfire, huge sprays of blood, and the pained screams of fallen enemies... with a deep thudding guitar hammering away beneath it all. The game world consists of open industrial environments with spinning saw blades and pits of acid, and the walls become soaked with blood as enemies are taken apart by shotgun blasts, machine gun fire, flamethrowers, and RPG's.

Players are able to move and aim independently with keyboard and mouse controls, similar to Abuse and a number of modern day twin-stick sidescrollers. Oh, and you can kick enemies around - and they scream when you do it - allowing you to knock them back into acid, toss them upward for some midair shotty action, or just kick their corpses around. As the game states, "Meating people has never been so fun."

Butcher is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, GOG, Humble Store, Itch.io, and cdp.pl. Check our coverage here.




October 27, 2016

New Blip: Legacy of the Copper Skies

Legacy of the Copper Skies from Horrible Unicorn Game Studios (HUGS), features two playable characters, one who inhabits a world of life and color, while the other who inhabits a world driven by machines and industry. The pair must team up in a world-spanning action-adventure, defeating enemies, solving puzzles, and manipulating time. The player can swap control between the characters, or merge them together into a single being with a new set of abilities.

The game is coming to PC and Mac via Steam in 2017.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

October 26, 2016

Arrival Delayed: Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods, from Alec Holowka (Aquaria, Towerfall) and Scott Benson, has been pushed back a tad. The game was originally expected to hit at the end of this year, but it look like Santa's sleigh will be sliding on by and dropping the game on January 10, 2017 instead.

Night in the Woods is a narrative-focused adventure game starring a number of colorful animal characters, including a cat with anger management issues and several of her friends, which include an alligator and a fox. You’ll be interacting with townsfolk in Possum Springs, uncovering the mysteries of the town after nightfall , running, jumping, occasionally astral projecting, solving puzzles, and eventually – of course – heading into the woods.

The game is coming to, PC, Mac, Linux, and PS4.




October 25, 2016

Early Arrival: Courier of the Crypts

Courier of the Crypts from Emberheart Games, is a top-down action adventure game featuring a courier with a magical torch on a mission to deliver a letter. The courier uses the torch to light his way and solve environmental puzzles, as well as ward of enemies, lure them to their deaths, or combat them directly. The world is filled with puzzles to solve and treasures to be found, along with numerous enemies that react to the light of your torch differently. But the torch needs to be fed, lest it burn out and leave you defenseless.

Courier of the Crypts is now available for PC and Mac via Steam Early Access.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

October 23, 2016

Target Acquired: Salmon Ninja

Salmon Ninja, from Krax Games, is a grapple-based precision platformer starring a ninja who has entered the afterlife. Due to a bit of confusion, the ninja wanders away from the bright glowing light and finds himself on a path to Hell and trying to find a way back home for himself and his salmon companion. Despite its lighthearted tone, this is a game that is designed to kill players quickly and frequently, taking cues from numerous insta-death/insta-restart precision platformers. In addition to running and jumping, the ninja can slice enemies with his katana and can zip to any solid surface with his trusty grapple chain... but there is little room for error, as environments are packed with spikes, spinning saw blades, lava, and pits of acid.

The game is now available for PC via Steam. Check our coverage here.




October 21, 2016

News: Updated Version of Bad Caterpillar Released

In 2013, Fun Infused Games released Bad Caterpillar on Xbox Live Indie Games, and now they've returned with an enhanced Steam version. The game is obviously a take on Atari's classic Centipede (which has some of the best arcade cabinet art of all time), but this version features a selection of pilots with different speeds and ammo capacity, powerups that include a fast-firing laser, a 3-way shot, and a rail gun, and a number of pesky new enemy types. The game is now available for PC via Steam. Check our coverage of the original release here, along with an in-depth look at Centipede.




October 20, 2016

Target Acquired: Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)

In 2012, Locomalito released Maldita Castilla for free on PC, and now the developer is revisiting the game with Cursed Castilla, a.k.a. Maldita Castilla EX, an enhanced version of the original game. The original game is excellent and is still available via the developer's website, and it's a must play for fans of the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series.

The EX version of the game features two new levels, as well as new enemies and bosses, plus an illustrated bestiary that unlocks as you defeat enemies. In addition, the developer has rebalanced the levels and improved some of the game's finer details like the camera and some enemy sprites, and the game features remastered audio and additional music tracks not included in the original release.

The game is now available for PC via Steam and Xbox One via XBLA, with a PS4 version planned for release later this year. For more information on this game and Locomalito's entire catalogue, check our coverage here.




October 18, 2016

Proximity Alert: Earth’s Dawn

Earth's Dawn, from developer OneorEight, was released last year in Japan as Earth Wars and now it's headed to the West. The game is a stylish sidescrolling action-RPG offering a 100-mission branching storyline, a crafting system, and a variety of skills to be learned and applied in combat, allowing for fast melee combos and projectile-based attacks. The Earth has been overrun by alien invaders, and you lead a team of rebels who are turning the aliens' technology against them in a battle to reclaim Earth.

The game is headed to PS4 via PSN and Xbox One via XBLA on November 1, with a PC version to follow, as well as a physical release on PS4.




October 16, 2016

Target Acquired: River City: Tokyo Rumble

River City: Tokyo Rumble, from Natsume, is the latest game in the Kunio-kun series. For those unfamiliar, the series consists of Renegade, Super Dodge Ball, River City Ransom, and loads of other games, most of which never made it out of Japan. The new game is a proper sequel, starring the hotheaded Kunio and his band of ne'er-do-well friends as they tear it up in Tokyo, fighting kids from rival schools and eventually taking on a series of street gangs. Just like River City Ransom, the game takes place in a world made up of freely accessible interconnected areas, and beating up enemies earns cash that can be spent on health restoratives, stat-increasing clothing, and new combat moves. Aside from basic punching and kicking, the player can learn more than a dozen new moves during his face-punching journey. While the main game is single player only, players can fight alongside one of several AI companions, and there are download-and-play versions of free-for-all brawling and dodgeball that allow up to 4P competitive action.

The game is a 3DS exclusive and is now available via the eShop, as well as in physical form. Check our coverage here.



October 13, 2016

New Blip: Moonlighter

Moonlighter from Digital Sun Games is a roguelike action-RPG starring a shopkeeper named Will who dreams of becoming a hero. By venturing into the nearby dungeons, Will is able to acquire rare items for sale in his shop, which in turn further funds his adventures, allowing him to upgrade his shop, purchase better weapons and equipment, and craft new items. Of course, he also has to manage his shop and make determinations as to whether he should keep or sell valuable artifacts, and how much he should sell items for. He can also fulfill requests for customers who request specific items... and try to prevent customers from stealing his hard-fought goods! The game offers randomly-generated dungeons and loot drops with loads of tough enemies to face, leading to greater rewards for players who make it further in, with dungeon bosses offering rare items when defeated.

The game is coming to PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam in 2017, with planned ports to Xbox One and PS4 to follow. The developers have also released a short arcade-style bonus game set in the Moonlighter world, entitled Kill Will, which is available on their Itch.io page for free.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

October 11, 2016

Early Arrival: Giga Wrecker

Game Freak is the developer behind a certain monster capturing battling game (Pokémon), as well as a handful of sidescrolling action games, including Pulseman and Drill Dozer, and now they're back with an experimental game entitled Giga Wrecker. In this physics-based action puzzler, you play as a cyborg girl who is able to combine scraps of metal to create new objects, including weapons. Your world has been invaded by robots, and you must use your abilities to smash through obstacles, build platforms to reach new areas, create objects of different shapes to solve environmental puzzles, and tear robotic baddies to bits.

The game is currently available for PC via Steam Early Access.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

October 9, 2016

Target Acquired: Pankapu

Pankapu, a.k.a. Pankapu: the Dreamkeeper, from Too Kind Studio, is an action-platformer starring the eponymous Pankapu, a warrior created by the God of Dreams to defeat dark beings that have passed through the Veil, the realm separating the the World of Nightmares from the World of Dreams. The warrior is able to change between three forms on the fly, altering his abilities as he does so, in order to take on his foes in different ways. His brave form has is strong and fights with melee attacks; his passionate form has a bow and arrows, as well as a double jump and dash; and his faithful form uses magic. The game is presented as a storybook tale told to a young girl, and the world is a construction of her imagination.

The game is being released in two parts for PC, Mac, and Linux, with Part 1 currently available via Steam. Parts 1 and 2 will be combined for the console release on PS4, Xbox One, and NX, due in 2017. Check our coverage here.




October 6, 2016

New Blip: Tiny Thor's Revenge

Tiny Thor's Revenge, from Asylum Square, stars Thor as an 8-year-old boy who just received his mighty hammer as a birthday present. Soon thereafter, all of the gods suddenly vanish, and Thor must set out to save them, battling enemies with his hammer, while collecting treasure along the way, and eating ice cream cones to restore his health. Along the way, Thor earns upgrades for his hammer that let him smash through blocks to further explore the environment, and being able to toss out multiple rapid-fire hammers to take down enemies and bosses. The game is presented in a colorful 16-bit art style.

The game is headed to PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, 3DS, iOS, and Android later this year.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

October 4, 2016

Proximity Alert: Thoth

Developer Jeppe Carlsen is mostly known for his work with Playdead Games on Limbo and Inside, but he also spends some time working on games of his own, including the minimalist puzzle-platformer 140. Now he's back with Thoth, a twin-stick shooter that requires a bit of puzzle-solving to complete each level, along with the typical arcade-style reflex-based dodgy-shooty. The game is aesthetically similar to 140 with enemies made up of simple geometric shapes and backgrounds that are literally just the 2-digit level numbers. Players can twin-stick alone or go quad-stickin' with a friend in 2P co-op.

The game will be released for PC and Mac via Steam this Friday (10/7).




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

October 2, 2016

Target Acquired: RIVE

Two Tribes, the developer behind Toki Tori and a number of other titles, has returned with a fast-paced shooter called RIVE starring a mechanical critter that can aim its turret of death in any direction while it runs through the environment, jumps on platforms, and delivers a buttery spray of projectiles at an array of robotic baddies. But there’s more than just shootery here, as the bot can hack other bots to alter their behaviors or use their abilities to his advantage, such as using a hovering bot to fly through the sky.

RIVE is now available for PC, Mac and Linux via Steam and PS4 via PSN, and is also planned for release on Xbox One and Wii U. Check our coverage here.




September 29, 2016

New Blip: Wulverblade

Wulverblade, from Darkwind Media and Fully Illustrated, is a sidescrolling beat 'em up taking place in Britain in 120 AD. You control one of a pair of burly bearded men with swords and shields - or badass woman named Guinevere - who brutally slash their way through opposing armies, spraying blood across the battlefield. Battle your way though the rolling hills, forests, caves, cities, and enemy fortresses taking down enemies and bosses with a variety of melee weapons. Locales and certain key characters are based on their real world counterparts, and the game is presented in a dark illustrated style. Go it alone, or team up with a local companion for 2P co-op.

The game is headed to PC, Mac, Linux, and Xbox One later this year.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.

September 26, 2016

New Blip: Bleed 2

Remember Bleed? We sure do. Bleed was a stylish acrobatic shooter starring a purple-haired heroine named Wryn. Well, Bootdisk Revolution hasn't forgotten either, and now they're following up with a sequel entitled - you guessed it - Bleed 2. Wryn wryturns... ahem, returns... and she's more agile than ever, dashing through the air with her pistol and energy blade, wrecking shop on gun-wielding freaks and looking sharp doing it. The wry Wryn wrecks wrongdoers with reckless abandon as she deflects bullets, leaps across flying missiles, and curves between incoming projectiles while aiming shooty death in their direction. In addition to the high-flying action, the game features dozens of bosses, unlockable weapons, and new playable characters, as well as 2P local co-op.

Bleed 2 is coming to PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam at the end of this year or the beginning of next.




To find more promising 2D games currently under development, be sure to check out our Master List.