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

February 26, 2023

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.

February 23, 2023

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.

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.

February 7, 2023

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.

February 1, 2023

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.