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

June 24, 2021

New Blip: B.I.O.T.A.

B.I.O.T.A., from Small Bros, is a sci-fi actioner set in the year 21XX. You are in charge of a commando unit sent on a mission to investigate a mining colony located on an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter after communication with the colony is lost. Apparently, some kind of biological agent is running amok and taking control of every living thing it comes in contact with, including the miners, who have now mutated into monstrous creatures... but you may still be able to rescue the scientists and save the investment of your employer, the mining company that owns the mineral rights to the asteroid. Swap between 8+ playable team members to shoot their way through the mutant menace, unlock new weapons, and make use of a number of vehicles, including a mech suit, submarine, and fighter ship. The game offers chunky-pixelly 8-bit visuals with dozens of 4-color palettes to choose from.

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.

June 23, 2021

New Blip: Gearshifters

Gearshifters, from Red Phantom Games, represents a heretofore unseen amalgamation of genres with its arcade-style car combat roguelike shoot 'em up action. You rip down the highway in your weapon-equipped vehicle blasting enemies ahead and behind, smashing through obstacles, and dodging return fire. You have a variety of weapons and defenses at your disposal - with upgrades purchased by taking on dangerous jobs to earn money - and you're able to skid to the side so you can blast enemies at angles. You shoot your way through enemy vehicles, trucks that absorb more damage, and huge bosses in the form of construction vehicles, jet-powered hot rods, and various transforming machinations. And yeah, the game is fully 3D, but it's got the spirit of a souped-up adrenalized horizontal Spy Hunter, so it's on the Watchlist!

The game is coming to PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One later this year.

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

June 22, 2021

Target Acquired: Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, from Jankenteam, is a visually-enhanced remake of the original 8-bit classic from the Sega Master System. The game is close to a screen-by-screen remake of the original, but with a few key differences, primarily in the snappier controls for Alex. In addition, the game features new levels that are seamlessly integrated into the experience, several new music tracks, and somewhat more complex miniboss encounters... but the same old rock-paper-scissors stuff for the main bosses. Players who want to avoid the frustration that comes with old-school difficulty and cheap deaths can enable an infinite lives option. Purists can go in with limited lives and unlock a classic mode and boss rush mode.

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. Check our coverage here.

June 21, 2021

Target Acquired: ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights

ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights, from Live Wire (game tweets), stars a girl named Lily who awakens to a world that has fallen into ruin due to a cursed rain that transforms living beings into undead creatures. The game is an open-world metroidvania with multiple paths of travel available, and new skills unlocked by defeating creatures known as the Blighted. Lily begins her journey in the basement of an ancient church, emerging into the rain-soaked Kingdom of End. This gloomy landscape holds beauty, as nature has overrun the workings of mankind and bloomed into lovely flora, but the world is now inhabited by deadly beasts that Lily must fight as she uncovers its mysteries. Throughout her journey, Lily defeats bosses to free the spirits of long-dead warriors that aid her in her quest, allowing her to attack with swords, bows, magic, and more, and granting her new environmental traversal abilities.

The game is now available for PC via Steam and Switch via eShop, and it's planned for release on PS4 and PS5 on July 6, with a release also planned for Xbox One and Xbox S/X at a later date.

June 17, 2021

Target Acquired: Garlic

Garlic, from Sylph (the studio behind Dragon Blazers), is a fast-paced platformer inspired by Super Meat Boy, Celeste, and Gato Roboto. You take on the role of Garlic, a boy with an onion for a head (so wait, that's not a garlic head?) as he attempts to ascend the Sacred Tower and earn a wish from the Cyber Goddess at its peak. Garlic is a capable platforming hero with a jump, wall slide, and wall jump, as well as a multi-directional air dash that doubles as a means of environmental navigation and a tool for fighting enemies and bosses. While the game asks the player to perform many feats in succession, the game also offers frequent checkpoints to alleviate the frustration of failure. Garlic offers some comic emotes as his head embiggens to shows him reacting to things in the environment such as a pursuing enemy or being caught on fire.

The game is now available for PC via Steam.

June 16, 2021

New Blip: They Always Run

They Always Run, from Alawar Premium, is a space-western-style action platformer starring a 3-armed bounty hunter named Aiden. The empire has fallen and criminals are filling the void of power, so tracking them down has become big business... and you're out to find the galaxy's biggest offenders, all while working to uncover a grand conspiracy. You hunt your bounties across the civilized central planets, the outlying wild west worlds, and even across planets that were once homes to ancient civilizations. Collect bounties in the form of information and cash, and spend your money on better equipment, stronger weapons, and new abilities. Use your three arms to acrobatically hack and slash your way through enemies while strategically defending and counterattacking, deflecting energy blasts back at enemies, and performing stealth kills.

The game is coming to PC later this year. A demo is available on Steam.

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

June 14, 2021

New Blip: Replaced

Replaced, from Sad Cat Studios, is a gritty 2.5D cyberpunk action-platformer set in an alternate version of the 1980's in a place called Phoenix-City. You take on the role of an artificial intelligence called R.E.A.C.H. that has been imprisoned within a human body. Society has gone to crap after some kind of nuclear catastrophe, and now the streets are ruled by gangs and power-hungry warlords out to harvest your organs. You run, climb, explore, and fight your way through this dystopian hellscape, smashing bad guys with your fists and guns via smooth and stylish combat as you uncover the secrets of the world around you.

The game is coming to PC, Xbox One, and Xbox X/S in 2022.

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

June 13, 2021

Target Acquired: Fallingstar

Fallingstar, from Harley Wilson, is a Breakout-style actioner starring an angel who has been kicked out of heaven. As the angel falls from the heavens and toward the world of man, he has one last opportunity for redemption... he summons a moving platform (basically a Breakout paddle) that he uses to bounce himself upward. In doing so, he can fight back against the angels, killing them to steal their grace. If he manages to restore enough of his grace, he ascends to heaven where he challenges god for his throne in a fight to the death. If he fails, he falls ever further until he faces the ruler of the hell for a chance at becoming the king of hell himself. But if he fails even that, he is damned for all eternity. In addition to breaking blocks and fighting angels, you also collect gems to build your health and cards that give you optional modifiers in the next level.

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

June 9, 2021

New Blip: Anuchard

Anuchard, from stellarNull, is a fantasy-themed action-RPG set in Anuchard, a once-great land that was protected by five guardians... until the guardians abandoned the people, and civilization fell, leaving only a dungeon behind. You take on the role of the Bellwielder of legend, tasked with entering this dungeon to fight the monsters and solve the puzzles within, in order to restore the souls of the Anuchardians. As the Bellwielder, your primary weapon is a huge bell - known as the Audros Bell - which you use to smash enemies and knock them back into each other and other objects, and you can knock objects around to combat enemies and solve puzzles. As you rescue villagers, they will join your cause by building shops and unlocking upgrades and weapon enhancements, allowing you to enter the dungeon to face more difficult challenges.

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

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

June 7, 2021

New Blip: Roadout

Roadout, from Rastrolabs Game Studio, is an action-adventure game set in a post-cyberpunk apocalypse where an artificial intelligence reigns supreme. You take on the role of Claire, a driver/gun-for-hire who works in a desert region known as the DeadZone. By taking on jobs from local gangs, Claire discovers more about the origin of the AI and her connection to it. Gameplay is split between on-foot and in-car combat action. You break into AI-controlled facilities and fight off automated defense systems, slice through enemy bandits, and tune your car for races across the stark desert landscape... and you can equip your vehicle with weapons and defensive items to blast enemies on the go.

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.

June 6, 2021

Target Acquired: Mighty Goose

Blastmode offers some honking good times with Mighty Goose, a run-and-gun shooter inspired by arcade hits like Metal Slug, but starring a planet-hopping bounty-hunting goose. Like the games that inspired it, Mighty Goose delivers fast action, screens full of bullets, plenty of enemies to destroy, and lots of beefy explosions. You face off against odd creatures, armored foes, bulky war machines, and screen-filling bosses that come at you from all directions while you take them down with your blaster and secondary weapons like the shotgun and Tesla cannon. And you can gear up in one of several vehicles for maximum destruction, including a mech suit and a tank.

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

June 3, 2021

New Blip: Berserk Boy

Berserk Boy, from BerserkBoy Games, is a fast-paced action platformer where you... go berserk. You take on the role of a boy named Kei who is transformed into a powerful hero tasked with fighting Dr. Genos, an evil mastermind who plans to use an army of minions to take over the earth. Your abilities lie in transforming between five different elemental forms: earth, fire, air, ice, and lightning, and by chaining together combos, you fill a Berserk Meter that lets you unleash powerful special attacks. You perform projectile attacks, melee strikes, and dashes while hopping between platforms and bashing baddies, and some powers allow for environmental traversal as well, such as transforming into a drill to tunnel though loose dirt. The game is inspired by classic 16-bit platformers and even has music from Tee Lopes, who previously composed for Sonic Mania.

The game is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, and Switch at the end of 2022.

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