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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