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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