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

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.