Target Acquired: Fading Afternoon

Fading Afternoon is the latest gritty dramatic actioner from yeo, the developer behind Arrest of a Stone Buddha and The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa. In this beat 'em up, you take on the role of Seiji "Gozuki" Maruyama, an aging yakuza who hits the streets after a long stint behind bars. With so much of his life behind him, he searches for meaning while getting up to his neck in his old violent ways... beating the hell out of guys in the streets and sometimes just pulling out his gun and snuffing them out for good. The game features a more robust set of moves and animations than the 8-bit Kunio-kun games you grew up with, and no shortage of visceral and bloody combat. You explore an open world, take part in some minigames, and hopefully survive to see one of the multiple endings.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, and it's also planned for release on Switch.

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Target Acquired: Gunbrella

From Doinksoft (now a Devolver Digital studio), the creators of Gato Roboto, comes a game with lots more colors, but lots fewer kitties in weaponized exoskeletons (presumably). Gunbrella is set beneath the darkened sky of some dystopian landscape that's filled with bad mofos, mutants, and monsters. You take on the role of a woodsman -slash- amateur detective as he investigates the seedy underbelly of a chaos-wrought world on a mission of revenge. The weather is cloudy with a chance of bullets, but fortunately you've packed your gunbrella, which doubles as a weapon and an environmental navigation tool. Summon your inner Penguin and use the gunbrella to glide through the air, bash enemies, deflect bullets, and of course... fire your gun.

The game is now available on PC via Steam and GOG and Switch via eShop.

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Target Acquired: Ginsha

Ginsha, from PolarityFlow, is an open world action-adventure that begins on a far future Earth where machines now rule. You take on the role of Gin, an alien symbiote who has crash-landed on Earth along with many others from her species. By taking over a clone, Gin and her companion Gon explore a half dozen planets to learn why they were drawn here, and find out what happened to the others who came before. You make use of several weapon types and an extensive skill tree to make yourself more effective in combat and exploration, and an XP system allows you to level up your stats as well. The most useful tool in your arsenal is a psionic shield that allows you to defend yourself from attacks, avoid damage from certain obstacles, and lower your local gravity to sail over gaps and ride air currents. On your journey, you'll interact with numerous NPC's, some of whom can help you craft items to navigate hostile environments... or even teach you an alien language to help you communicate with life forms on other planets.

The game is now available for PC and Linux via Steam, Epic, and GOG, and Swith via eShop. Check our coverage here.

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New Blip: Stand-Alone

Stand-Alone, from Lifuel, is a roguelike actioner where anthropomorphic animals rule a technologically advanced civilization. (Technically it's STAND-ALONE from LIFUEL but who wants to wear out their CAPS LOCK key?) You take on the role of a robot named Athro (but technically it's "athro" for some reason) that has lost its memories thanks to some great explosion... but it also lost its body, so it takes over the body of a sheep instead. The primary aggressors in the game are wolves, and normally a sheep would not be the right animal to take into a wolf fight, but when you're a sheep with a huge sword, a slew of upgradeable fighting techniques, and a handful of support drones, then AI-powered mutton is exactly the right sort of warrior to bring a wooly death to your wolfy enemies. The combo-based combat is fast and flashy as you trek across the wasteland slashing the absolute hell out of every critter with pointy teeth.

The game is coming to PC in 2024.

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

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New Blip: Laika: Aged Through Blood

Brainwash Gang presents Laika: Aged Through Blood, a game that seems to be named after everyone's favorite canine cosmonaut. You take on the role of a coyote warrior as she sets out across the post-apocalyptic wasteland in a motorcycle-based metroidvania (McGrathvania?) on the road to revenge. Fortunately, she shoots as well as she rides, as she races through the landscape, hits ramps, and gets big air while blasting baddies in the face with her trusty pistol and sawed-off shotgun, and she reloads by doing backflips! But wasteland soldiers aren't the only danger... she must also face down huge mutant creatures that have been repurposed for war. And when she's not performing facial deconstructive surgery on her enemies, she's cruising through a beautiful hand-drawn world.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox X/S, but it does not yet have an announced release date. A demo is available via Steam.

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

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New Blip: GigaSword

GigaSword, from Studio Hybrid, is a metroidvania that mixes action and puzzle solving. You take on the role of Ezra, a regular-sized guy with a gigantic-sized sword, one of many that were forged to be wielded by a race of 8 foot tall humanoid owls who act as guardians of the God Crystal. Things haven't been going well for humanity, and they blame the owl people for their fate, eventually concocting a plan to ascend the great tower and claim the God Crystal for themselves. Now that you have a huge sword, you must learn how to use its weight and power to navigate the world... but you must often leave it behind as you fling yourself into the air, move through tight spaces, and swim underwater, thereby leaving yourself defenseless. You'll need to complete environmental puzzles to get the sword back into your hands so you can continue onward. In addition to triggering puzzle elements, you also use it to slash enemies, and you eventually gain new powers that improve your combat and navigation abilities.

The game is coming to PC and Switch, but it does not yet have an announced release date. A demo is available on Itch.

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

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New Blip: Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn

Shadow of the Ninja was a great 2P co-op ninja game developed by Natsume and released for NES in 1990. If you don't happen to have a copy lying around, you can give it a try via Nintendo Switch Online and see for yourself. Now, ININ Games and NatsumeAtari's Tengo Project are revisiting this classic with a brand new take entitled Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn... just like they did with The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors and Pocky & Rocky Reshrined. The game features enhanced visuals by Dynamic Production and a soundtrack by Iku Mizutani, who also composed the original game soundtrack, along with the soundtrack for Shatterhand. As in the original game, you take on the role of either Hayate or Kaede, both from the ancient Ryuuha Shippu shinobi clan, as they infiltrate a seemingly impenetrable fortress. Using their katana, shuriken, kusarigama, and ninja magic, they battle their way through a colorful world filled with baddies and bosses before facing off against an evil emperor.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox X/S in Spring of 2024.

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

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Target Acquired: 30XX

In 2017, Batterystaple Games released 20XX, which featured colorful fast-paced robot action inspired by the Mega Man X series, but with a roguelike twist. And now, a mere 1,000 years later... er, a few years later anyway, they have returned with a follow-up entitled 30XX. The game once again features roguelike action with single player and 2P local or online co-op options. You take on the role of a blue armored character who can fire regular and charged buster shots similar to X, or a red armored character with a sword that plays more like Zero. Combat is fast and fluid with detailed characters, colorful environments, and lots of enemies and bosses ready for a good thrashing... plus new powers to unlock.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store.

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New Blip: Maiden Cops

If you like beat 'em ups and you giggle when you hear the word "boobies", then you'll definitely want to check out Maiden Cops, from Pippin Games. The game features three police officers on a mission to overthrow a group known as "The Liberators" who are wreaking havoc on the streets of Maiden City. The women not only wear police uniforms but also animal costumes that represent their fighting abilities. For example, Priscila Salamander has a salamander tail that she uses to slam enemies, and her partners are the spry Nina Usagi who wears a rabbit outfit, and the tough Meiga Holstaur who wears a minotaur outfit. Of course, part of the appeal of the game is its provocative character art and animations, and it features unlockable artwork and costumes for your waifu of choice. The game features fast-paced combo-based fighting, and you can go it alone or team up with a fellow maiden for 2P simultaneous asskickery.

The game is coming to PC and Mac this fall. A demo is available via Steam and Itch.

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

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New Blip: Bionic Bay

Bionic Bay, from Psychoflow Studio and Mureena Oy, is a physics-based platformer that centers around swapping. You take on the role of a scientist who has invented a device that allows him to teleport by swapping his position with another object in the environment. You explore a dark biomechanical world filled with strange machinery that seems to have been hard at work developing weapons and hulking humanoid beasts. You must perform platforming feats to traverse these strange environments while using the objects around you to overcome dangerous obstacles, defeat elaborate defense systems, set off traps, and fling yourself to impossible heights.

The game is coming to PC in 2024. A demo is available on Steam.

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

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Target Acquired: Gravity Circuit

Do you like gravity? Do you like circuits? Then you might like Gravity Circuit, from Domesticated Ants. OK, so the game definitely has gravity, and you fight robots, so there's definitely circuits, but really it's a game about smashing your way through the robotic Virus Army to prevent them from taking over the world. You take on the role of Kai who smashes bots with his fists, dive bombs them, boots around projectiles, knocks robots into each other, and uses a grappling hook to move quickly from enemy to enemy. The game features 12 stages of 1P action where the player unlocks new abilities as he rescues civilians, along with special challenge levels, time trials, and a level editor.

The game is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, Epic Games, and GOG, Switch via eShop, and PS4 and PS5 via PSN.

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New Blip: Animal Well

Animal Well, from Shared Memory (game tweets), is a super-chunky nonlinear metroidvania where you explore a deep well, encounter the strange creatures with, and discover its secrets. You take on the role of a little round potato-ish critter who was just born into the pixelliest of worlds by emerging from a flower. As you explore, you gain new abilities that can be used to access new areas, but perhaps not in the traditional ways. Blow bubbles that can be used as platforms, toss a stretchy yo-yo that can grapple around corners, and... play fetch? Solve environmental puzzles to open up new sections of the map, or occasionally clear the path forward with the help of some TNT, but try not to get eaten by any of the animals that tower above you.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, and PS5, but it does not yet have an announced release date.

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

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Target Acquired: Ravva and the Phantom Library

Ravva and the Cyclops Curse was a nice little action-platformer where you made your way through the levels by summoning four creatures, each with different abilities. Developer Galope Studios follows that up with Ravva and the Phantom Library, once again starring the owl summoner named Ravva, as they attempt to escape from the eponymous Phantom Library. The library is filled with magical books that contain entire worlds filled with monsters... which may be entered in any order. By summoning each of your four companions, you can freeze and destroy objects, toss sharp blades, create explosions, and reveal hidden pathways, allowing you to navigate the realms held within these treacherous books, and defeat the ruler of each.

The game is now available on PC via Steam.

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New Blip: Kloa - Child of the Forest

Kloa - Child of the Forest, from Wildpad Games, is an action adventure set in a beautiful, but dying, world. You take on the role of Kloa as she sets out to stop the mysterious Ikari Curse (no relation) that is killing the forest she calls home. Unfortunately, this curse has also transformed the critters of the forest into monstrous beasts that attack Kloa at every turn... but there are still some friendly animals that help her on her journey. Kloa uses her katana to fight enemies, a soul bow to strike from afar, and defensive techniques to protect herself from strikes and deflect projectiles, and she gains new attacks and equipment throughout her adventure. She also has a dash maneuver that allows her to avoid enemy attacks, dodge out of the way of environmental obstacles, and cross gaps. Kloa must explore multiple biomes, fight tough enemies and bosses, solve environmental puzzles, and restore balance to the land.

The game is coming to PC but it does not yet have an announced release date. Ports are also planned for Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

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

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Target Acquired: Hazard Saviour

Developer Sinclair Strange is known for creating a number of neo-retro actioners and action-packed game jam entries, and the solo dev's latest release is Hazard Saviour. The game was made for Ludum Dare 53 with a theme of “delivery”, and it takes its inspirations from Crazy Taxi... but instead of driving people through a 3D world, you instead carry passengers on your back as you run through an open world platforming environment. You get a bigger fare based on the distance you travel, and you can build up a combo by blasting enemies, thereby adding to your reward. Money can be spent in shops to buy upgrades and better weapons to make your next dropoff a bit easier. The world is made up of five biomes, each with unique hazards, along with some cute and colorful enemies.

The game is now avaialble for PC via Itch at no cost. Check our coverage here.

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Target Acquired: Tiny Thor

Tiny Thor, 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. During his adventure, Thor must perform feats of platforming, overcome environmental puzzles, and use his ricocheting hammer to defeat enemies, collect treasures, and clear the path forward. The game is presented in a colorful 16-bit art style.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, and it's also planned for release on Switch.

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Target Acquired: Bat Boy

Video game fans have long known that baseball bats can be used for much more than batting baseballs. We've grabbed them in Double Dragon and turned them against our fat-headed foes, imagined the adventures of Captain Baseball Bat Boy while murdering well-deserving ne'er-do-wells in Max Payne 2, and scrambled to the top of arcade leaderboards as the eponymous Ninja Baseball Bat Man. Now it's time to wreck shop as a platforming hero in Bat Boy, from Sonzai Games and X Plus Games. Bat Boy's teammates have been subjected to the Trials of Darkness by Lord Vicious (no relation), and Bat Boy sets out to rescue them, using his baseball bat to bash baddies, send guard-pigs tumbling into other enemies, deflect projectiles, and smash through destructible blocks in a variety of retro-styled environments. Boss battles pit Bat Boy against his brainwashed buddies in a baseball batting brouhaha.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, and Xbox One and Xbox S/X via Microsoft Store.

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Target Acquired: Shinobi non Grata

Sometimes the title of a game just jumps right up and bops you in the moon unit, and one such game is Shinobi non Grata, from Studio Pico and Esquadra. Matching that outlandish title is an equally dweezil-popping actioner with about eleventeen colors and larger-than-average sprites for such a retro-looking game. It's Japan, it's 1838, and a bunch of bad guys just made friends with some demons so they can rise to power. But a lone demon-killing shinobi stands against them... Kaina uses his murasame sword to slice through his enemies, tosses shuriken and bombs, swings a kusarigama, and makes use of a number of magical abilities, such as firing electrical bolts or creating shadow versions of himself. Fight your way through loads of baddies, traverse dangerous environments, and defeat giant demon bosses.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, and there are physical Switch and PS4 versions available to preorder via Stricty Limited Games.

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Target Acquired: Afterimage

Afterimage, from Aurogon Shanghai (game site), is an action-RPG set in an open fantasy world known as Engardin. You explore this beautiful hand-drawn landscape as an adventurer who faces off against hostile creatures, dangerous traps, and environmental challenges. You are able to equip a variety of weapons with their own attack styles, make use of magic spells, and upgrade your abilities along a skill tree to change the way you fight enemies. Per metroidvania conventions, unlocking new movement abilities allows you to see more of the world and uncover its secrets, and venture into more dangerous areas to face terrifying boss creatures.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store.

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Target Acquired: Wild Dogs

Wild Dogs is the latest from 2ndBoss, the studio behind Biolab Wars, which was an alien-blasting run-and-gunner inspired by 8-bit classics like Contra and Shatterhand. Wild Dogs is set in the same universe and takes place before the events of Biolab Wars. The game stars Frank "Pumpkinhead" Williams and his trusty companion, Freddy, the dog from the previous game who wore a mech suit. This time around, it's not all about running and shooting... shmupping and stealth puppering are mixed in with the sidescrolling shooter action as the player takes control of a jet, a motorcycle, and a dog-driven mech suit. Blast alien soldiers, shoot down powerful spacecraft, and obliterate gigundus bosses.

The game is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store.

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Target Acquired: Moons of Darsalon

Moons of Darsalon is a retro-style rescue-based actioner from Dr. Kucho! Games that is set in the same universe - and in some of the same environments - as their previous release, Pilots of Darsalon. However, instead of piloting a spaceship down into caverns, you play as a "darsanaut" who must rescue lost miners. You have a laser gun for blasting enemies, a jet pack for environmental traversal, and a pair of tools that allow you to destroy or create terrain. You'll need to give the miners some direction to help them get back to safety, so you can issue commands to make them follow you, wait, or head in a specific direction. In addition to the on-foot action, you pilot some vehicles, such as a flying personnel carrier and a 6-wheel all-terrain transport truck. You must blast enemy aliens, spaceships, and vehicles while dodging projectiles and watching that you don't fall to your death in one of the many chasms. There are some modern lighting effects and a physics engine that impacts how characters, vehicles, and liquids interact with the environment, but the game leans hard into its gritty 8-bit computer aesthetic with retro-style filters, music, and speech synthesis.

The game is now available for PC and Mac via Steam.

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New Blip: Toxic Crusaders

Toxic Crusaders, from Retroware, is a beat 'em up starring everyone's favorite 90-pound-weakling-turned-toxic-avenger as he takes to the streets of Tromaville with his trusty mop to bust some ugly heads before anyone busts his ugly head. The city is under siege from Dr. Killemoff and his mutated thugs who plan to pollute the world... more than we already are. Toxie teams up with his fellow crusaders, including No-Zone, Junkyard, Major Disaster, and Headbanger, plus his girlfriend and his mother, each with their own moveset and special attacks. You can go it alone or bring in some of our demented friends for 4P local co-op as you battle your way through Troma's colorful B-movie world and enjoy some cheesy comic-style cutscenes.

The game is coming to PC later this year.

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

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Target Acquired: Cannon Dancer - Osman

Back in 1989, Capcom released Strider to arcades, which was later followed up by Sega's Gensis port on the system's first 8 megabit cartridge, thus cementing Strider Hiryu as one of the great action heroes of the era. In 1996, Mitchell Corporation released Osman, a.k.a. Cannon-Dancer, to arcades, with former Strider developer Kouichi Yotsui taking the lead. The result was a Strider-esque experience set in a futuristic version of the Middle East, and starring a very acrobatic hero who was able to perform somersault jumps, climb walls and ceilings, and run quickly down sloped surfaces.

Unlike Strider Hiryu, Osman (Kirin in the Japanese version) uses his bare hands to fight, requiring that he get in a bit closer, but he is supported by up to four after-images that hover in the air and deliver extra damage to enemies and bosses. Environments are extremely colorful, the world is packed with detail, and bosses are big and beautiful... but it's very much a quarter muncher. Players who grew up with the Genesis version of Strider will find this to be much more difficult experience. Fortunately, ININ Games - who partnered with game designer Kouichi Yotsui and artist Utata Kiyoshi on this release - have added some enhancements to ease players into the experience. Cannon Dancer - Osman includes options to enable a double jump, increased attack speed, several invincibility modes, and the ability to rewind time.

The game is now available for Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store. Physical editions are available via Strictly Limited Games. Check our coverage here.

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New Blip: Abathor

Abathor, from Pow Pixel Games (game tweets), is set in the ancient city of Atlantis... a city whose people have incited the wrath of the gods, and now they are being punished for their sins. You take on the role of a hero – or multiple heroes in 1P-4P co-op – who must save the city and close the Gates of Abathor. You must defeat the creatures that have been unleashed upon the land, and fight off demons and the gods themselves if you hope to win the day. Gameplay is reminiscent of sword-and-sandal arcade actioners like Rastan and Magic Sword, where you travel through single-plane environments using swords to slash enemies, the occasional projectile to strike from a distance, and magical transformations to beef up your strength. In multiplayer, players assist each other in combat but also compete to crack open chests and collect the treasures within.

The game is coming to PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox, but it does not yet have an announced release date.

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

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New Blip: Sessions

3D horror games crossed over into action years ago, but 2D horror games have tended toward atmospheric narrative adventures. Sessions, from Robson Paiva, is ready to give you some monster bashing to go along with your creepy hallways... and it's set in same the dark cyberpunk world as the developer's previous game, Redo. You take on the role of a synthetic human exploring an interconnected world filled with mechanical monstrosities and mysterious organisms. You can slash mechanoids with your sword, blast them in their face-like protrusions with a variety of guns, and upgrade your weapons – and your body – to become a more efficient killer. Explore nonlinear environments, meet NPC's, and wade through the horrors of a posthuman world.

The game is coming to PC at the end of the year.

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

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Target Acquired: Curse of the Sea Rats

Curse of the Sea Rats from Petoons Studio, is an open-world action adventure featuring traditional 2D animation and 3D environments. The game takes place in Ireland in the year 1777 and focuses on a group of pirates who have all been turned into rats by an evil witch (who was also transformed by her spell). You take on the role of one of four playable characters - or multiple characters in 1P-4P local co-op - as you attempt to defeat the witch's minions, rescue the admiral's kidnapped son, and hopefully break her spell so you can return to your former human self... and the game features multiple endings based on your actions. Combat is melee based, but you can use magic as well, with each character having different abilities and upgrades, and more powerful spells are unlocked as the game progresses. The game world is huge, with lots of branching paths and multiple themed areas to explore.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store. Check our coverage here.

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Target Acquired: Lunark

Lunark, from Canari Games, is a cinematic platformer inspired by the likes of Flashback and Prince Of Persia. The game offers chunky pixel art and vibrant colors reminiscent of the 16-bit era, and even features rotoscoping! In the future, Earth has become incompatible to human life, and the last remaining survivors have been relocated to the moon by Noah, an artificial intelligence, until a new home can be found. Hundreds of years have passed, and now you take on the role of Leo, an inhabitant of the lunar ark (yeah, the Lunark) who finds himself in the middle of a rebellion. He interacts with a cast of colorful characters, performs feats of platforming and shooting, and explores a variety of environments and alien ruins.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store, and it's also coming to PS4 and PS5 on or around April 6. Pysical copies may be purchased via Limited Run Games.

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Target Acquired: 9 Years of Shadows

9 Years of Shadows, from Halberd Studios, is a metroidvania featuring a young noblewoman wielding a halberd (hey, that's the name of the studio!) who must end a curse to save the land. You take on the role of Europa as she begins her journey in a mechanical construction called Talos Castle, using her halberd to fight its dark inhabitants. Along the way, she meets a floating teddy bear named Apino, who uses ranged magic, and together they protect each other while they rid the world of corruption. Using elemental armors named for Helios, Gaia, and Poseidon, you are able to use their powers of fire, earth, and water to reach new areas. The game offers retro visuals and a soundtrack composed by Michiru Yamane (Castlevania series), Manami Matsumae (Mega Man series), and Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid series).

The game is now available for PC via Steam, and it's also coming to Switch later this year.

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Target Acquired: Haunted Lands: Burial Grounds

Haunted Lands: Burial Grounds, from Alexey Goryachev, is a DOS-style shooter reminiscent of Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion. You select one of four characters as you blast your way through cultists and monstrous creatures, leaving blood and viscera in your wake. Each character has a different set of weapons and abilities, with the hunters using guns, the mage using electricity, and the beast ripping baddies apart with her claws. You explore a large environment with branching paths, traps, and treasures, and you can equip a number of buffs back at your home base to give you an advantage in combat... which you'll need, because this game is tough. Enemies are overwhelming in strength and number, bosses are powerful, and checkpoints are infrequent, requiring you to make the most of every tool available, and hold onto your special attacks for just the right moment.

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

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Target Acquired: Boneraiser Minions

Boneraiser Minions is the latest in a long line of chunky neo-retro actioners from Caiysware, the studio behind Spirits Abyss, Skelly Selest, and Straimium Immortaly. This is a wave-based auto-battling roguelike where you take on the role of a boneraiser who must (literally) raise an army of the undead to fight against the do-gooder heroes... and then use their bodies and souls to increase your power even further. But it's not all just minion management; you'll need to actively evade enemy attacks and collect the bones of your victims to unlock upgrades. Make use of big smashy skellies, bomb-tossers, and magicians to keep the king's crusaders from ravaging your crypt... but the tougher your enemy, the greater your army can become! And per this developer's tradition, there's a Clashful Cards collectible card game in there too.

The game is now available for PC via Steam

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New Blip: Fallen Tear: The Ascension

Fallen Tear: The Ascension, from Winter Crew (game tweets), is an action adventure set in the magical but troubled land of Raoah. You take on the role if Hira, a boy looking to uncover the mysteries of his past in a journey that pits him against monsters, villains, and eventually the world's corrupt gods. As you grow your bonds with newfound friends and make decisions about your path forward, you gain new abilities that help you further explore the interconnected world and learn how to restore peace and balance. You can also expand your combat abilities to make yourself a more effective fighter... and take advantage of the beast within. The game features lovely hand-drawn animations and backgrounds across numerous environments.

The game is coming to PC but does not yet have an announced release date.

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

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Target Acquired: Elderand

Elderand, from Mantra and Sinergia Games (game tweets), is a metroidvania set in a dark world inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The game features fast technical combat that requires skillful use of your weaponry, and where button mashing is a sure path to failure. You fight your way through terrible monstrosities as you trek across the world searching for treasures, solving ancient mysteries, and seeking out hidden passages. Skillful explorers will find money and items that can be traded to shopkeepers for better weapons and shields, and some may be found through exploration as well. Players may make use of swords, shields, whips, staffs, throwing axes, and bows and arrows, and they may equip armor and accessories and make use of health restoratives to aid them in their quest.

The game is now available on PC via Steam and Itch, and Switch via eShop. Check our coverage here.

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Target Acquired: Planet Cube: Edge

Planet Cube: Edge, from Sunna Entertainment, is a run and gun platformer that takes place on a cube-shaped planet (called Planet Cube). You take on the role of a similarly cube-shaped engineer named Edge who uses a prototype photon blaster to fight his way through a subaquatic weapons lab to thwart a planetary invasion. Speed an agility are key as you take on room after room filled with dangerous foes, many of whom fire projectiles of their own. To aid in your mission of shooty-scooty-shooty, you can perform air dashes and butt stomps, allowing you to avoid enemy fire while delivering the hurt in multiple directions. And the fact that you're in an underwater facility means you'll need to do a bit of swimming through flooded areas when the walls are breached. The game offers a GameBoy-style color palette with very un-GameBoy-like crisp environments and smooth animations.

The game is now available for PC and Mac via Steam, Switch via eShop, PS4 and PS5 via PSN, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store.

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New Blip: Fading Afternoon

Fading Afternoon is the latest gritty dramatic actioner from yeo, the developer behind Arrest of a Stone Buddha and The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa. In this beat 'em up, you take on the role of Seiji "Gozuki" Maruyama, an aging yakuza who hits the streets after a long stint behind bars. With so much of his life behind him, he searches for meaning while getting up to his neck in his old violent ways... beating the hell out of guys in the streets and sometimes just pulling out his gun and snuffing them out for good. The game features a more robust set of moves and animations than the 8-bit Kunio-kun games you grew up with, and no shortage of visceral and bloody combat. You explore an open world, take part in some minigames, and hopefully survive to see one of the multiple endings.

The game is coming to PC and Switch later this year.

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

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New Blip: Last Moon

Last Moon is an isometric action-adventure from Sköll Studio, the developer behind Koloro. You take on the role of a Lunar Knight who must defeat an evil sorcerer who has cursed the moon and unleashed dark creatures across the land. Now a blood red moon hangs cracked and crumbling in the sky, and you must find a way to save it, along with the people in the kingdom below. The game features environmental puzzle solving and hack-and-slash combat as you cut your way through corrupted beasts, forge new weapons, level up your abilities, and equip ancient runes. You face dozens of enemy types across daytime and nighttime, with secrets to be found at different times of day... but also more dangers lurking in the night.

The game is coming to PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, and Xbox, but it does not yet have an announced release date.

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

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New Blip: Ravva and the Phantom Library

Ravva and the Cyclops Curse was a nice little action-platformer where you made your way through the levels by summoning four creatures, each with different abilities. Developer Galope Studios follows that up with Ravva and the Phantom Library, once again starring the owl summoner named Ravva, as they attempt to escape from the eponymous Phantom Library. The library is filled with magical books that contain entire worlds filled with monsters... which may be entered in any order. By summoning each of your four companions, you can freeze and destroy objects, toss sharp blades, create explosions, and reveal hidden pathways, allowing you to navigate the realms held within these treacherous books, and defeat the ruler of each.

The game is coming to PC and Linux, but it does not yet have an announced release date.

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

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New Blip: KOTOMASHO: I Can't Believe This NEET Guy Turned Into a Magical Girl!

WalGallen presents KOTOMASHO: I Can't Believe This NEET Guy Turned Into a Magical Girl!... or just KOTOMASHO if you don't have enhanced lung capacity. The game stars a slacker guy named Genji who - as you might expect from the title - gets transformed into a magical girl. Gone are the days of lounging around in his apartment playing VR games, as he takes on the persona of Miyu and embarks on a quest to rescue her sisters and save the world from nightmares. Miyu is joined by her new feline companion named Yumeko as she explores the overworld, overcomes handcrafted and procedurally-generated dungeons, solves puzzles, fights enemies, and gains new magical abilities. This is a GBC-style anime-influenced action adventure along the lines of The Legend Of Zelda Link's Awakening, but with a full-on RPG levelling system in lieu of hunting for heart pieces.

The game is coming to PC but does not yet have an announced release date. A demo is available via Steam and Itch.

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

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Target Acquired: UnderDungeon

UnderDungeon is the latest from Josyan, which features some of the developers behind Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. You take on the role of a plucky slacker named Kimuto, who just started working as a delivery driver for the town of town of Kutopia. Unfortunately, the area has been overrun by monsters, so making deliveries can be a bit challenging, but Kimuto has a magic sword to defend himself... and he gains plenty of new weapons and items on his adventure. The game takes inspirations from The Legend of Zelda with its linked room dungeons, and Minit with its 1-bit visuals. You fight your way through enemies and bosses, engage in some silly NPC interactions (including with the Grim Reaper!), discover hidden rooms, and even play a few minigames along the way.

The game is now available for PC via Steam and Itch, Switch via eShop, and Xbox One and X/S via Microsoft Store. Check our coverage here.

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New Blip: Risk of Rain Returns

Risk of Rain returns in... Risk of Rain Returns, a remaster of the original roguelike actioner from Hopoo Games. You take on the role of a survivor from a crashed cargo ship who must fight their way through an increasingly hostile environment. The original game featured a single character at the start, with additional playable survivors available to unlock, and the remastered version features brand new survivors for the updated adventure, along with 4P online and offline co-op... in case want to bring some pals along for the massacre. Collect items, weapons, and buffs to steadily increase your power as you face enemies from every direction that become more powerful as time clicks by, and then you still have to take down some menacing boss monsters. Fans of the 3D sequel will notice some content from Risk of Rain 2, and fans of the original 2D outing will notice upgraded art, new sound effects, and new music tracks.

The game is coming to PC and Switch later this year.

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

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Target Acquired: Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is the latest retro-style actioner from the crew at Joymasher, the studio with a decade-long pedigree of retro-inspired hits including Oniken, Odallus: The Dark Call, and Bazing Chrome. In the future, people have fallen victim to a dictatorial rule, oppressed by an army of unstoppable super soldiers... but one such soldier defies its creators and becomes humanity's last hope. You take on the role of this Moonrider as it makes use of enhanced ninja movement, weapons, and combat abilities to break the bonds of totalitarian rule. Inspired by the classics of the 16-bit era, the game features fast combat, chunky visuals, over-the-top boss encounters, and a guitar-heavy soundtrack.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, Switch via eShop, and PS4 and PS5 via PSN. Check our coverage here.

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New Blip: Earthblade

Earthblade is the latest from Extremely OK Games, the studio behind TowerFall and a little precision platformer you may have heard of called Celeste. So what do you do after creating one of the decade's most lauded indie gems? You go on to create an open world actioner set on Earth. But Earth has changed a bit from what you may remember from... well, earlier today. The planet has fallen to ruin and is now filled with poisoned water and rampaging beasts. You take on the role of Névoa, a child of Fate who explores the planet - and combats its monsters - in hopes of learning what happened to the world she once called home. Perform platforming feats, explore vast environments, slash enemies with your trusty blade, and speak with Earth's remaining inhabitants to reveal the planet's hidden past.

The game is headed to PC, but you've got a while to wait, since it isn't slated for release until 2024.

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

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