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

October 31, 2019

Target Acquired: Cathedral

Cathedral, from Decemberborn Interactive, is an NES-style action-platformer starring a red-armored knight fighting his way through dungeons and cathedrals filled with dark creatures. Players must complete platforming challenges, avoid pits of spikes, hop on moving platforms, and activate switches to make their way forward, all the while slashing enemies, blocking projectiles, and performing downward strikes to take down enemies and bosses. Outside of dungeon diving, players interact with NPC's in villages to learn more about the world around them. Players can also acquire new items and equipment to enhance their combat skills and movement abilities to attack enemies from a distance and reach new areas.

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




New Blip: Neon Abyss

Neon Abyss is the latest from Veewo Games, the studio behind Super Phantom Cat. This is a roguelike run-and-gun shooter that sees you playing as a member of the Grim Squad, a group of mercenaries hired by Hades to bust into the Abyss and unleash hell upon the New Gods. Per genre conventions, you'll encounter random weapons and perks. And to keep the action high, everything is stackable and there's no limit to what you can carry... which leads to some unusual and deadly combinations. Further adding to the mayhem are eggs that you can find, which hatch to become pets that support you in battle, and the longer you can stay alive, the more they evolve.

The game is coming to PC, PS4, and Switch in 2020. A demo is available on the game's Steam page.




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

October 28, 2019

Target Acquired: Xeno Crisis

Xeno Crisis, from Bitmap Bureau, is an arena shooter where you play a space marine - or a pair of them in 2P co-op - blasting through waves of alien baddies and rescuing survivors along the way, taking design inspirations from Smash TV, Alien Syndrome, and other arcade actioners. The game is comprised of seven themed areas, dozens of enemy types, grotesque end-level bosses, and plenty of weapons to destroy them all, including rifles, spread guns, flamethrowers, and rocket launchers, among others, along with upgrades to increase their damage output and ammo capacity. Procedural layouts mean the player will encounter different rooms on each run, and two difficulty modes let players choose their level of challenge (but you need to play on "hardcorps" to get the good ending). The game was originally developed for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive, and ported to Dreamcast and Neo Geo.

The game is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam and GOG, Switch via eShop, PS4 via PSN, and Xbox One via Microsoft Store. Check our coverage here.




October 24, 2019

New Blip: Roland's Quest

Roland's Quest (formerly Rolan's Quest), from Colony Games, is a fast-paced top-down action-adventure reminiscent of Beyond Oasis. You take on the role of the titular hero who is a blacksmith that lives in a small forest town, and he leads an insignificant life. He's resourceful and he's a skilled hunter, but he's otherwise pretty laid back and has yet to discover his true purpose. But one day, a foreign band of soldiers appears in his land and burns his town to the ground. He finds himself drawn to action, leading him on an adventure that spans the world on a path to face an evil lord and confront the world's dark history. Roland slashes his way through enemies, uses items to solve environmental puzzles, and explores multiple themed environments, joined by his mysterious friend Lulu.

The game is coming to PC and Mac 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.

October 22, 2019

New Blip: Arietta of Spirits

Arietta of Spirits, from Third Spirit (game site), stars the titular hero, a plucky redhead who finds herself on an adventure leads her to explore the mysteries of the Spirit Realm. Arietta revisits her grandmother's cabin a year after her passing when she begins seeing ghostly beings, one of whom becomes her companion. Arietta explores the forests and caverns of the island, slowly uncovering its secrets as she interacts with NPC's, earns new abilities, and fights monsters and boss creatures.

The game is coming to PC in 2020. A demo is available on Itch.io.




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

October 20, 2019

Target Acquired: Outbuddies

Outbuddies, from Julian Laufer, is a retro-style metroidvania. The game stars Nikolay Bernstein, an explorer and archaeologist who becomes shipwrecked and finds himself in a set of caverns 36,000 feet below the surface. He is awakened by a robotic companion - or buddy - who aids him on his journey by scouting out the area around him and manipulating certain objects and enemies. On his journey, Bernstein gains new weapons and abilities that allow him to explore the expansive subterranean world, which is filled with hostile creatures, hulking bosses, and a friendly race known as the Wozan, who seek his help.

The game is available for PC via Steam, GOG, and Humble Store, and it is coming to Switch, PS4, and Xbox One in 2020. Check our coverage here.




October 19, 2019

Target Acquired: Sea Salt

Sea Salt is the latest from YCJY Games, the studio behind The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human, which was a dour metroidvania set in a dark and desaturated world... and their latest venture doubles down on that dark desaturation. Sea Salt is set in a Lovecraftian world where you take on the role of Dagon, one of the Old Gods, who calls forth loping horrors from ancient depths to terrorize mankind. The game mixes action and strategy as you cycle through a deck of creatures and bring them in the world to chase down humans and activate sigils. The humans will try to fight you, and religious figures will stand against you, so you must grow your army of creatures to overtake them, and unlock new creatures to add to your numbers.

The game is now available for PC via Steam, GOG, and Game Jolt, Switch via eShop, and Xbox One via Microsoft Store.




October 18, 2019

News: Pig Eat Ball on Consoles

Pig Eat Ball released last year for computers, and now the zany oddities have arrived on consoles, from Mommy’s Best Games. This game features a young pig princess named Bow living on a space station filled with clam people. Her father, King Cake, has decided to host a competition to win his daughter’s hand in marriage. But Bow has a different idea… she dons a disguise and enters the contest herself. The game features a number of different level types, most of which center around eating tennis balls. However, if you eat too many tennis balls, you get too fat to fit through narrow corridors, so you have to barf them up, slip through, and then re-eat the barfed up balls… called “barfies” for short. The game also features a number of competitive multiplayer modes for up to four players where players race each other, fight over tennis balls, and even build sandwiches. The game also includes a level editor.

The game is available on Switch via eShop, PS4 via PSN, and Xbox One via Microsoft Store. Or you can pick it up on PC, Mac, or Linux via Steam, Humble Store, and Itch.io. Check our coverage here.




October 17, 2019

Early Arrival: Kynseed

Kynseed, from PixelCount Studios (made up of ex-Lionhead devs, best known for the Fable series), is set in the colorful and richly detailed world of Quill. The people of Quill live in relative harmony, despite being surrounded by dangerous forests filled with monstrous creatures. You have recently taken possession of the titular Kynseed, a magical acorn that grows into your family tree. You live and grow, have children, raise them, and eventually die... at which point you take on the role of your children and continue the story. This sandbox RPG has you exploring the open world, battling monsters, developing lasting relationships with NPC's, shopping, farming, crafting, and operating various sorts of businesses, including bartending, mixing potions, selling items, or acting as a smithy.

The game is now available for PC via Early Access on Steam and GOG.




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

October 15, 2019

Target Acquired: The Ninja Saviors - Return of the Warriors

The Ninja Saviors - Return of the Warriors, from Natsume Atari and ININ Games, follows up on Taito's ultra-wide 3-monitor single-plane beat 'em up The NinjaWarriors, and Natsume's SNES follow-up Ninja Warriors, which offered a more technical experience akin to Final Fight, but still on a single plane. Now, the ninja warriors have returned, and they've brought along a couple of new friends. The game now features five playable android ninjas (three from the SNES game) fighting their way through a dystopian world filled with evil grunts in need of a good smackdown. Go it alone or grab a friend in 2P co-op as you smash your way through eight areas, waves of enemies, and hulking bosses, all presented in hi-rez pixel art.

The game suffered a short delay, but is now available for Switch via eShop, and PS4 via PSN, and also available in physical versions. Check our coverage here.




October 11, 2019

Target Acquired: Valfaris

In 2016, a beautiful and atmospheric game called Slain was released, and it basically looked like a heavy metal album cover come to life in glorious 2D. Unfortunately, the game had loads of problems at release, not the least of which were a poorly-implemented combo system, cumbersome controls, bad writing, and simply awful sound design... some of which was addressed in the retitled re-release called Slain: Back from Hell. So, if you've heard bad things about the developer, this is why. Developer Steel Mantis (game tweets) has a new and similarly-gorgeous actioner entitled Valfaris, which promises to be "a heavy metal space saga". The game features melee- and projectile-based combat as the player ventures through dark gothic environments fighting detailed - and often grotesque - biological and mechanical enemies and bosses, leaving behind sprays of blood, gobs of goo, and piles of bodies in his wake. Environments are dark and gritty and filled with moving elements and enemy creatures, and the game is accompanied by a heavy metal soundtrack.

The game is now available on PC via Steam, GOG, and Humble Store, and Switch via eShop, and is coming to PS4 on November 5 and Xbox One on November 8.




October 10, 2019

Early Arrival: Spirits Abyss

Caiysware, the studio behind gritty pixel-art actioners Straimium Immortaly and Skelly Selest (take that, spellcheck!), has returned with Spirits Abyss, another gritty pixel-art actioner, but this time it's a roguelike platformer that gives the player the ability to destroy chunks of the environment, Spelunky-style. It is said that tossing a child into the abyss under the light of a blood moon may allow that child to return one day with great riches and power over The Undying. You take on the role of one such child who has been tossed into a pit where you must navigate procedurally generated subterranean landscapes filled with menacing creatures and the odd friendly character, racking up loot and taking part in the occasional collectible card game along the way. There are a few modes of play and additional playable characters, encouraging replay using different weapons and playstyles.

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 8, 2019

Target Acquired: Indivisible

Indivisible is an action-RPG from Lab Zero Games, the developers of Skullgirls. 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 now available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam and GOG, PS4 via PSN, and Xbox One via Microsoft Store. A Switch version is coming soon.




October 1, 2019

New Blip: Boyfriend Dungeon

Kitfox Games, the developer behind Moon Hunters, returns with Boyfriend Dungeon, an isometric hack-and-slash where you can become romantically involved with your weapons. Despite the name, the game offers romance with men, women, and nonbinary weapons, each of whom is more sexy than the last and lovingly dolled up in anime-style art filled with all the billowing shirts and flowing locks your heart desires... and even a cat. You can date up to nine weapons, each with a distinct personality and form, and each granting different abilities in combat, from wide swipes to quick stabs to lightsaber-esque flourishes to up-close brass knuckle action. Slash your way through monster-packed dungeons and then go out for a night on the town or a walk on the beach with your bae-blade.

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 Master List.