The Rocky Horror Show is a 1970s comedy horror musical by Richard O'Brien that was adapted into a movie titled The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1975. Over the years, this film gained a huge following and became a cult classic, m??ostly thanks to Tim Curry's breakout performance.

Because of its theme and genre, this is not the type of project that we would expect to see adapted into a video game in 2024, let alone into a retro-style action platformer. But this is precisely what UK-based studio FreakZone Games just announced, and it looks surprisingly good.

Simply titled The Rocky Horror Video Game, this a 2D side-scroller in which players will control protagonists Janet and Brad in an exciting adventure that will feature catchy 8-bit renditions of classic songs from the original musical. It seems other characters, like Dr. Everett V. Scott in his wheelchair, will also be playable. It's evident that the developers made this game as an homage to classic NES side scrollers, like Castlevania or Mega Man.

According to the tr?ailer, this eccentric project was possible thanks to Bit Bot Media and Metal X Entertainment Production, and it will be launching very soon, on October 2024. The studio hasn't revealed a specific release date yet, but it wouldn't be surprising if it's out before ??Halloween.

The Rocky Horror Video Game is not FreakZone Games' first foray into an obscure IP

In a statement to The Wrap, the game's producer, Joshua Viola, said, "For those familiar with Rocky Horror, they’ll get to relive it in a fresh, exciting way. For newcomers, it’s an unforgettable introduction to a cult classic, delivered with a twist only a video game can provide". This reassures us that the studio developed this project from a place of love f??or the original musical and that both established fans and people wh?o have never watched the movie are certainly going to enjoy it.

It should be of no surprise that FreakZone Games decided to tackle such a niche and specific project, especially when taking a look at some of its previous titles. The studio rose to fame in 2012 when it released Manos: The Hands of Fate, a 2D platformer based on the infamous cult film of the same name. FreakZone Games also developed Angry Video Game Adventures and its sequel, another 2D side scroller, only that this one is partially based on the iconic gaming YouTuber James Rolfe, better known as the Angry Video Game Nerd. So these types of weird games are bas??ically this studio's bread a?nd butter.

The post ?The Rocky Horror Show is getting a video game adaptation th??is October appeared first on Destructoid.

Upcoming gothic-themed title The Last Faith will release worldwide on November 15. The dark and visceral Metroidvania and Soulslike hybrid from developer Kumi Souls focuses on methodical combat in a dark yet beautiful 2D world. As has become standard in the genre, The Last Faith will feature intense boss fights that are challenging yet rewarding. Of course you can draw parallels to games like Dark Souls. But, with the 2D art style, it actually reminds me a lot of Salt and Sanctuary or Blasphemous 2.

Welcome to Mythringal

Wow, what a trailer. It looks like it will be a pretty intense venture through the city of Mythringal. As seen in the trailer, The Last Faith gives players access to an arsenal of melee weapons, spells, and even firearms. The bosses look diverse and intricate in their attack patterns. It's par for the cour?se for these kind of games, but I already know I'll be getting frustrated during some of these fights. In a good way, of course.

Those wanting to check out The Last Faith beforehand can access an extended demo that is available now on Steam. In the demo, players can experience early parts of The Last Faith.

The last Faith releases digi??tal?ly worldwide on November 15 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

The post Metroidvania and Soulslike hybr??id The Last Faith relea?ses November 15 appeared first on Destructoid.

Dishing out more retro action

JoyMasher isn't slowing down on retro action games. Its latest release, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, is calling out to the Strider (and Hagane?) fans in the room. And with a fall release planned, it's reassuring to know t?hat this new thro??wback isn't far off.

After the Contra-flavored Blazing Chrome, they've got my full attention.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJgmvI0iG6w

This one's another level-based side-scrolling action game, starring a newly-awakened ninja who's re?belling against a?? futuristic totalitarian state. Slice 'em good.

"I dug deep into the territory of 16-bit games and even some early CD games, and tried to craft an authentic experience, just as if you just found in your basement an unreleased MegaDrive/Genesis game," art director Danilo Dias said on the PlayStation Blog.

Yes, that's a nod to H.R. Giger

"All the character designs in Vengeful Guardian Moonrider, and general art direction of the game, were heavily inspired by Japanese artist Keita Amemiya, the designer behind lots of video games, anime, and tokusatsu from that era. I also took a lot of inspiration from H.R. Giger, the artist behind the otherworldly visuals of the Alien series."

[caption id="attachment_340494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The vibes are right.}[/caption]

If this looks like a distilled arcade-style experience without the modern-day fluf?f, that's the idea �but there's "a little bit of item hunting and exploration," too.

Across the game's eight stages, you'll be able to find hidden chips that extend t?he vengeful guardian's abilities. Dias cited a double-jump, longer-range weaponry, and health regeneration among "lots of other" unlocks to unearth. I'm expecting it to push back.

With games like Oniken, Odallus, and Blazing Chrome, this team is on a roll.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is targeting a fall 2022 release on PC (through Steam), PlayStatio??n 4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and even the cloud-based Amazon Luna platform. I feel bad for JoyMasher's Xbox fans who are feeling ??left out. Never say never.

The post JoyMasher is ba?ck at it with Vengeful? Guardian: Moonrider appeared first on Destructoid.

Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak

It's nice to see a cool off-the-radar indie game resurface with a release window after years of wondering. This is my first time seeing The Siege and the Sandfox, but as a stealth-based metroidvania with detailed pixel art, it quickly left a good impress??ion.

The developers at Cardboard Sword have teamed up with publisher Koch Media to launch their debut game. Along with a new trailer this week (which helps re?introduce th??e "stealthvania" concept), they've set their sights on a 2023 release on PC.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlUN7K2bk1c

If you're curious ??about the game's name, here's the deal: a desert kingdom is under siege, and you'll sneak around as a legendary figure, the Sandfox, to save the kingdom.

"The Sandfox �known as the Kasha'i �is famed across the land as the legendary line of faithful protectors and servants to the crown. The ??current holder of this mantle has been left for dead at the base of 'Traitor's Fall' �a deep pit leading to the depths of the underground prisons. Betrayed by the Queen in order to hide her regicide, you must now take on the role of the Sandfox and begin your journey back up to the palace."

Metroidvania meets parkour

With metroidvan?ia roots, expanding your traversal options will be part of the progression and it'll come down to getting new items, equipment, and skills, according to the team.

The Siege and the Sandfox is split up into distinct areas �the prison, palace, mausoleum, and caves, to name a few �but it's?? all "one giant continuous world."

[caption id="attachment_337304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Slipping past guards to escape the prison.}[/caption]

As the screenshots show, there's a lot of environmental detail to take in �a godsend when you're trying to weigh your stealth options and hopefully leave no?? trace.

"This project is a passionate combination of stealth and 16-bit era games, brought into?? the modern world with beautiful visual effects and techniques," according to Car??dboard Sword CEO Olly Bennett. "We wanted to make something new yet nostalgic."

The Siege and the Sandfox will be available for PC on Steam, GOG, the Humble Store, and the Epic Games Store in 2023. Above all, I'm on bo??ard for the pixel art.

The post The Siege?? and the Sandfox is a stealthy metroidvania coming in 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's cool to see someone carry this torch

Not that long ago, I was out here publicly wishing that Wario Land 4 would show up on Nintendo Switch Online as my one true hail-mary GBA pick, and I'm still trying not to get my hopes up. Admittedly though, my attention is better spent on Antonblast, an?? upcoming PC and Nintendo Switch indie platformer that ta??ps into the dearly departed series' vibes.

Antonblast is already winning over fans on Kickstarter, who have pushed past the game's baseline $75,000 goal on Kickstarter with a month left in the crowdfunding campaign.

If you're anything like me,?? the retro action-platformer footage sells itself.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEuT3k1Y2ts

Summitsphere, the studio behind Antonblast, says it was directly inspired by Wario Land 4, Crash Bandicoot 2, Metroid Dread, Sonic CD, Shovel Knight, and Cuphead �quite the list!

The developers are specifically focused on delivering "tight platforming, hand-drawn animation, banger music, and crazy characters," and they're coming off of Antonball, a brick-breaking game in the vein of Mario Bros. that we've covered before on Destructoid.

One interesting wrinkle gleaned from the Kickstarter pitch: every world in Antonblast is a "mini-metroidvania with a half-h?our or more of exploration each on first run."

They're echoing Wario Land's end-of-level "hurry up!" concept??, which is something I used to stress over but have come to really appreciate later in life. The pitch also mentions Hard Mode, Time Trials, and a Boss Rush to complement the "five-hour" main story mode.

[caption id="attachment_323101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Dynamite Anton in the flesh.}[/caption]

"Thank you all sincerely for your support," tweeted studio producer JB Long.

"This is a life-altering moment for ??all of us at Summitsphere, including myself. To see something we creat??ed rocket to viral overnight & raise its entire budget in like 7% of the allotted time is nuts. I still don't quite 'feel' it."

PlayStation and Xbox are stretch goals

Should the Kickstarter drive continue down its current path, I'd expect to see players knock out at least a few more stretch goals starting at $100,000 �more worlds, alternate? playable characters, and PlayStation and Xbox versions are also possible.

Antonblast is coming to Nintendo Switch and PC, and $20 pledges include digital access to the finished game once it's out. There's a free demo, in the meantime.

The post Antonblast has real Wario Land energy and it’s coming to Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Just "one more" New Game+...

After Dead Cells, Hades, and Spelunky 2, it's tough to name an all-time favorite roguelite. Rogue Legacy 2, a flashy new castle-storming sequel, on??ly complicates that conversation??.

I briefly checked in with Rogue Legacy 2 a few times during its Early Access period �most notably at launch in 2018, then again last year when the sequel surpassed the original game in terms of raw stuff. It's not just "more content," though. It's a fantastic evolution??.

I've had a blast with this game every step of the way, and that counts for a lot. Other popular roguelites, many of which I adore, can still have dicey moments of despair. But I never felt like any of my lost progress was in vain. As expensive as perma-upgrades eventually get, you're always earning in Rogue Legacy 2, and the?? game isn't afraid to hand out stepping stones to let you focus on your next milestone. There's always hope.

Rogue Legacy 2 has left the Early Access zone, and I'm h??appy to say the wait was worth it.

[caption id="attachment_319114" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The home base is convenient and cozy.}[/caption]

Rogue Legacy 2 (PC [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Cellar Door Games
Publisher: Cellar Door Games
Released: April 28, 2022
MSRP: $24.99

Circling back around to the first Rogue Legacy for a quick 2022 spot-check, it's wild how much of an upgrade Rogue Legacy 2 is. The first game cemented the appeal of the roguelite action-platformer genre for a lot of players. People loved it; many still do!

Running through randomized floors as a sometim?es lucky, sometimes laughably doomed lineage of heroes was novel back then, and the permanent stat-boosting Manor unl??ocks accumulated in a satisfying way. You know the oft-spouted saying: "one more run."

It's pretty incredible, then, that Rogue Legacy 2 manages to bottle up those fond memories while presenting fresh-looking, snappy-feeling, far more refined gameplay. It's essentially Rogue Legacy, again, but more ambitiou??s and confident tha?n ever. Talk about a glow-up.

It's worth stressing, though: you can jump right in without any prior experience. And one of the best aspects �a House Rules toggle for granular accessibility options if and when you need them �will open up Rogue Legacy 2 to a wider audience. It's a challenging game, for sure. A run can go sour in an instant. But through a combination of enemy and boss pattern recognition, gradual character boosting back at base, and sheer skill, you?? can reach the end. I know you can. And then you can climb the steep New Game+ ladder.

[caption id="attachment_319110" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Heirs come in many shapes and sizes.}[/caption]

On just a base level, without even considering the longer-term progression hooks that provide extra back-of-your-mind motivation in Rogue Legacy 2, I can't get enough of this combat and platforming. It??'s this fluid fusion of speed, reflexes, patience, and wits.

Early on, I felt like I could show up to slice skeletons, dash past spike and arrow traps, and crack open (most) treasure chests with stringent don't-get-hit-in-this-ro?om criteria. At the same time, I'd still take chip damage here and there. I'd make stupid slip-ups like squeezing in one too many greedy swings at a charging knight or fire-blinking eyeball.

I would consistently reach the first boss, a spellsword named Lamech who dashes and flips like a madman, but my current hero �whether it was a Barbarian, a Mage, a Valkyrie,? a Gunslinger, or even a Chef �couldn't quite outlast his beefy HP bar.

There's a tinge of disappointment a??t first, sure. "Damn, I thought that was the run..."

But you shake it off, roll a new heir, spend whatever gold you just hoarded to buy a persistent upgrade or better gear, and hop back into the ever-shifting castle. Eventually, through good old practice, gradual know-how, lucky random mid-run Relics, and some brute-forced stat increases, this run becomes The Run. It went that way for me in all six biomes against all six bosses, as well as the final tricky fights. They were all memorable.

[caption id="attachment_319116" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Bosses are fun to learn and tough to master.}[/caption]

Whereas some roguelite games just keep going and going in a way that wears me out, Rogue Legacy 2? can be broken down into smaller chu?nks, each with its own lifecycle.

With that in mind, you don't need to complete Rogue Legacy 2 "all in one go," which I think some people might be mistakenly expecting.?? The main goal is to keep your character alive long enough to find and dispatch the area's Estuary, at which point they're done and dusted �you won't fight the ?boss again (well, not until New Game+). Back at the castle entrance, their portrait will be filled in, and it's onto the next biome on your list. Of course, you can revisit any "old" zone you want, when you want, but it's not forced on you.

The format works! It really suits what Rogue Legacy 2 ??is going for as a tough-but-fair roguelite game. Being able to break away from a brick-wall boss so you can grind elsewhere or just aimlessly explore for a while can make all the difference. Sometimes, that was what ??it took for me to return with renewed confidence. Finally, a breakthrough.

As long as you plan ahead, it's trivial to unlock teleporters that will send you to all of the different biome entrances within seconds of starting a new run �each warp is a one-time, across-all-runs purchase from a pizza-loving character. (This game has some fun NPCs.) Now, actually reaching those biome entrances to buy their specific teleporter is another matter. There are a handful of metroidvania-ish traversal abilities in Rogue Legacy 2 that are useful in combat and also necessary to reach later area?s. So, while you can poke around the wider world to ge??t a lay of the land, there's a preferred order to this stuff.

Those abilities, Heirlooms, are unlocked in scattered "beat it once and you're good to go" challenge zones that spice up the usual proceedings and also serve as a puzzle/tutorial. Moves like air dashes, double jumps, and bouncing spin kicks might not be groundbreaking on their own, but when you're fully kitted out in Rogue Legacy 2's home stretch, it feels ama??zing to whip them out mid-combat. Zipping around this world is a pleasure.

[caption id="attachment_319108" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Rogue Legacy 2's Astromancer class can summon black holes �and their center is a critical attack.}[/caption]

Much of what I'm saying about Rogue Legacy 2 can be applied to the first game. What makes it so much better??? For me, it comes to the biomes, the ??bosses, and the classes.

I may not be able to remember every biome by name, but I can absolutely visualize them all as distinct entities that require different approaches. Some are long, some are tall, some are dark, and all of them have their own flair. Even though the room-by-room layout changes on every run, you can still get a sense of what's ahead, which lessens the chance you'll be caught off-guard. It's not just a matter of various visual themes �the biomes are actually built differently from one another. I love that! And the same can be said of the bosses in Rogue Legacy 2, which are some of my favorite fights in a roguelite action game, period. Learning their moves?? (and not forgetting them in the heat of battle) is a blast.

With lore books to find and read (or totally skip over), Rogue Legacy 2 does a good job of introducing bosses before you ever face them s?o that they'll feel like a threat when the time comes. It's a lighter storytelling touch that I appreciated. For me, it's more about the raw action gameplay and overall mood; I don't need to know every tiny detail, or strike up lots of conversations, to become invested in the world. It just naturally pulled me in.

The completely overhauled art direction �from quaint pixel art to a hand-drawn-meets-2.5D style �also makes a splash, of course. But it's the way the sequel refined Rogue Legacy's gameplay concept?s that kept me coming back without ever getting bored.

[caption id="attachment_319115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Some trap rooms are too tempting to skip.}[/caption]

As for classes, Rogue Legacy 2 is still running with the concept of randomly-pulled characters who may or may not have funny traits. Those quirks co?me with a significant gold-earning boost, so there are clear moments when it's ideal to just grind, or it's time to take another serious stab at a boss. Every chance I got, I went with the Ronin, a fragile hero with a far-reaching katana whose tip results in a guaranteed critical attack. My other favorite was the nimble Boxer, who can combo foes and trigger a KO. It's also fun to switch things up with ranged classes like the Mage or oddball picks like the Bard.

More than just statistical shakeups, the classes all play distinctly from one another and ha???ve varying pros and cons. Some of the skill ceilings are really high; others feel low.

The fact that I can be amazing at one class and god-awful at another is just the way I like it. While players will latch onto their favorites, it's worth it to make the rounds �classes gain their own XP that funnels into Mastery levels, which are another way to bump up your capabilities across the board. Extra vitality, armor, and equip weight can pa??y off.

There's also a Resolve system that lets characters pick up Relics ??�powerful items with sometimes risky effects that you can find mid-run. Relics can be game-changers and help you get through a gauntlet in one piece, especially items like the Gnawed Bone (a 25% chance to survive a fatal blow) and Lachesis' Measure (killing enemies with a crit restores 6% of your max health). In exchange for these boons, though, you mi??ght need to shave off some of your HP bar if you're running low on Resolve. It's often a thoughtful trade-off.

[caption id="attachment_319117" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The Gravity Beam is one of the flashier spells in Rogue Legacy 2.}[/caption]

If I have complaints about the sense of progression, it's that the (branching) Manor upgrades can be a little bewildering at first before you've acclimated to Rogue Legacy 2. I also feel like the prices for any incremental multi-tier purchase can really skyrocket later on. That's kind of the idea, though. It feels like a great feat to topple the final boss, but you're really meant to loop back around for numerous New Game+ playthroughs.

"Threads" take cues from Hades in that you can flip on gameplay modifiers to spice up each NG+ cycle, and yes, that means ushering in new content, too. But unlike the Pact of Punishment, the "burdens" in Rogue Legacy 2 are ?lock??ed in place for your whole New Game+ playthrough, not for an individual character's run. (You can reset the world state if needed, so don't be afraid to experiment.) The higher the pain, the better the rewards.

At the time of this review, I've invested 20 hours into Rogue Legacy 2, an??d I'm partway into New Game+. My motivation for continuing is partially to see?? those numbers go up �who wouldn't want to max out their bonuses and dominate once-great threats? �but also to find whatever else is still out there. One of my favorite parts so far has been Scars.

There are well-hidden secrets throughout the main dungeons that unlock Scars, which are one-off challenges you can face from the comfort of your home base. One challenge is a target-breaking drill, and plenty of others are dual-boss skirmishes. You'll get a rank for each Scar you clear �one for every class' best attempt �and if you earn enough points collectively, you'll earn a rare currency that feeds into another upgrade tree with fun unlocks like alternate classes. Again, New Game+ is a big focus for Rogue Legacy 2.

[caption id="attachment_319112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Fabled Weapons like the Enkindled Gauntlets can be high risk, high reward.}[/caption]

It took a lot of effort for me to reach the end, and I felt like the game adequately tested me every step of the way. For some players, the balance �especially in relation to their desire t??o grind �might be out of whack from time to time. For that reason, it's worth giving the House Rules another shout-out. These options can be flipped on or off mid-run, and you can alter enemy health or damage (from 50% up to 200%), disable "contact" damage with foes, enable flight, and slow time while aiming, among other settings.

All in all, I found this game to be super satisfying. Some character classes are so enjoyable, I could play a whole separate game (not necessarily even a roguelite!) with only their base mechanics �all of the other assorted archetypes that I don't typically choose are just icing on top. For me, the classic Rogue Legacy roguelite hooks are still potent in the sequel, and the agile combat? and platforming feel fantastic. Once you're in, it's hard to walk away.

I knew from my limited time with the Early Access version that Rogue Legacy 2 would be great, but I didn't necessarily think it would go on to become one of the best games of 2022 and one of my favorite roguelite games. The ??competition is fierce, but it's ready.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Rogue Legacy 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Steam first on April 28, then Switch down the line

I don't need three lines! If I had to sum up Haiku, the Robot in a single word, I'd stick with "comfy." This retro-style metroidvania from Mister Morris Games is launching on April 28 for Steam �with a Nintendo Switch version planned down the road �and it looks comfy, like the kind of familiar experience that'll do exactly what it needs to do.

The game'?s creator, Jordan Morris, just announced the PC date with a new trailer.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcd1LuV2iVg

The color palette, protagonist's dash ability, and potential for playstyle customizati??on with the "chip" system are all doing it for me. A game without humans sounds nice, doesn't it?

"On your ?journey, you will pick up different pieces of the story enshro??uding the mysterious explosion that happened 200 years ago and how machines came to life," said Morris.

"All the abilities have been designed to work with and ??without each other, leading to different combinations and methods of traversal. You choose how you want to tackle certain challenges. Countless hou?rs have been spent iterating on the feel and responsiveness of the controls in order to ensure that the game feels great to play."

[caption id="attachment_317142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Not everyone is out to get Haiku.}[/caption]

While the Steam release is imminent, it's been a journey �Haiku, the Robot was funded, at least in part, through a modest Kickstarter. The original plan was to get the game out in October 2021, though Morris (smartly) ended delaying it and didn't publicly commit to a new date until now to avoid extra stress. As for the Switch version, a simultaneous release "was too much work for one person," so that'll be out... later! Don't rush it.

"Bug fixing on both platforms would hav??e probably killed me haha," said the creator.

The post Haiku, the Robot is out soon and it’s worth a look for metroidvania fans appeared first on Destructoid.

In like Flynn

[UPDATE: The game's ?all sold? out! You can only get it by winning it, now!]

Life is all about change. I recently moved to Denver to get a nice change of pace in life, but now have found myself back in Phoenix among the cacti and sand. I was in a snowy hot tub three weeks ago, and ?now I'm looking at 96 degrees this Saturday. 96 degrees in March! Why?! I miss the ice forming in my hair as I enjoy the single-digit temperature around me while Tears for Fears lulls me into ultimate Good Vibes mode. Pic included for posterity's sake.

Well I'm back in the desert now, which just goes to show that life is full of changes. Thankfully, one thing that hasn't changed is Super Rare Games puts awesome digital games onto physical Switch carts to make sure that when the great digital wipeout inevitably occurs, there will at least be some record of these games existing. Today they dropped Flynn: Son of Crimson, and if you're a fan?? of classic handcrafted 2D action, you're gonna wan??na jump in on this!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3mjuB44pIE

I'll let the pros do the talking on this one.

A journey about discovery and conflict, Flynn: Son of Crimson follows our titular character, Flynn, as he learns to master the art of Crimson? Energy while standing up against The Scourge invasion. Pairing up with your mythical companion Dex, the Guardian Spirit of the Land, it is up to you to protect the beautiful island of Rosantica from evil in this gorgeous 2D action-platformer.

Embrace the Power of Crimson Energy �Discover incredible powers drawn from Flynn’s mysterious lineage, and h?elp him master the a??rt of Crimson Energy.

An Epic Arsenal  - Dash and pierce wielding your trusty Crimson Blade, land powerful precision blow??s with the Crimson Axe, and unleas??h aerial superiority wearing the Crimson Claws.

A World in Peril - Uncover the ancient mysteries of Rosantica, an??d collect powerful relics to help face the sinister evils waiting for you in The Scourge.

An Unbreakable Bond - Summon your mythical companion, protector, and ver??y good doggo Dex in times of need, and charge alongside her into battl??e.

Master the Elements - Command elemental magic in the form of fire, ice, and light?ning, and use it to overcome the obstacles and ??enemies in your path.

Handcrafted Adventure - Lose your??self in a beautifully handcrafted 2D world filled with gorgeous forests, fantastic realms, and ?wondrous creatures.

I'll never u??nderstand why more ga??mes don't have doggy companions.

To enter to win your copy of Flynn: Son of Crimson, drop your info in the widget below. It's that easy! Click around for bonus entries and make sure to entertain me and my curiosit?y. I do actually read things when I ask questions in there, so your thoughts don't go unnoticed!

We have one physical Switch copy of the game to give away. Super Rare Games is super cool and super ship worldwide, so barring a few exceptions??, anyone is eligible! If you're not and happen to win, we'll make arrangements to get you something digital, instead. Otherwise ?no exceptions -- buzz off if you don't want this game. I'm taking my ball and going home, hmph! We'll draw winners around this time next week.

Flynn: Son of Crimson is available in physical form exclusively from Super Rare Games. If you're interested, though, act quick! Once they sell out, this sucker is gone for good! Nevermind they gone!

Dtoi??d Contest: Win Flynn: Son of C??rimson on Switch from Super Rare Games

The post Contest: Win? Flynn: Son of?? Crimson on Switch from Super Rare Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Blasphemous: Wounds of Eventide is the final DLC

Over a million people have stepped into the beautifully tormented world of Blasphemous, and they'll be called back to atone in Cvstodia this De??cember with one last tr??ial.

Announced at Gamescom (via IGN), The Game Kitchen has a final free DLC chapter �Blasphemous: Wounds of Eventide �coming to PC and consoles on December 9, as well as a sequel in the works for 2023. Yep, they're making a Blasphemous 2, and I'm stoked.

//youtu.be/RKg34fPKaQU

Instead of showing gameplay yet, the Gamescom trailer for Wounds of Eventide sets the scene with a surprisingly cool anime sequence. The visuals do all the heavy lifting. Blasphemous 2, meanwhile, is simply a bit of text at?? the end of ??the footage.

Not that I expected The Game Kitchen to walk away from Blasphemous after its critical and commercial success, and the studio's continual post-launch support, but still. Even if a sequel seems like it's in the cards, you never know whe??n it might materia??lize. The timeline here, especially with another generous DLC, feels ideal. It's already been two years.

Blasphemous was a great first entry in the crowded metroidvania scene fueled by an intriguing yet extreme ??world of intense religious devotion. There's still so much more room in the lore to say more without ever running the risk of over-explaining.

Mechanically, as a 2D action-platformer, Blasphemous wasn't perfect �it could be finicky.? Imagine where the (hopefully a little tighter-feeling) next game might go.

The post Blasphemous 2 is coming in 2023, but first, there’s Wounds of Eventide in December appeared first on Destructoid.

Claim these PC games by July 1 if you're in the retro-revival mood

Sonic Mania and Horizon Chase Turbo make for a n?ice littl??e two-in-one throwback freebie on the Epic Games Store. You can add both games to your PC library until July 1, 2021.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA9zwpMj_8A

The greatest-hits-inspired Sonic Mania is a beloved entry, and it's required playing for 2D platformer fans. If there isn't a functional whereissonicmania2.com joke site by now, there ough?t to be. At least we got this one and it's excellent. (That's what I keep telling myself.)

Note that for this free v??ersion, you're just getting the base game, not the Encore DLC with Mighty and Ray, Encore Mode, or the four-player Competition Mode. That's a $5 add-on.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jX7BE2DXj4

Horizon Chase Turbo isn't as well-known, but it's another keeper, especially if you have any fondness for Top Gear on the Super Ni?ntendo. Heck, there's even split-screen.

The next free game on the Epic Store schedule is The Spectrum Retreat, which is grabbable from July 1�, 2021. This is a first-person narrative? puzzler in a curious hotel, and if you've played enough great games of this ilk over the years to have built up high expectations for the genre, you'll probably want to tone them down before coming in.

It's a potentially clear-in-one-sitting ga?me, though. There's value in that.

The post Sonic Mania and Horizon Chase Turbo are free on the Epic Games Store, and they’re both fun throwbacks appeared first on Destructoid.

Adventure, Versus, and 8 characters �including Ana from Spelunky 2 and the Minit hero �will be playable in Early Access

The long-time-coming Samurai Gunn 2 resurfaced today with a blistering new trailer and a revised summer release window for Steam Early Access. What about Nintendo Switch? It's still happening — but that version won't come out until the 1.0 launch on PC, which should take "about a year or so."

The sequel had plummeted off my radar, but after catching this gameplay footage, I immediately remembered what it was like to face off in frantic one-hit-kill combat with friends. Simplicity and split-second decisions ar??e still the name of this ??2D action game. That said, there's more to chew on.

For combat, beyond the super-lethal sword and gun at your disposal, Samurai Gunn 2 now lets you "swallow" one of your three bullets to dash. Trickier yet, the dash ?allows you to fly throug??h slash attacks, but not other players' shots. A small change can have a big ripple effect in high-stakes duels.

In terms of modes and content, at Early Access launch, the game will have the first of four Adventure worlds (with solo and four-player co-op support!), nine local/online Versus levels (two all-new originals, six updated zones from Samurai Gunn, and a Minit arena), and eight characters (two of which are guests). There's also a graphic novel from artist Valentin Seiche (the first of six chapter??s).

Wait, guests? Yeah. Indie crossovers can be used to great effect, and Samurai Gunn 2 is on the right track so far with Ana from Spelunky 2 and the cursed hero of Minit. Everyone has unique abilities, too.

For those of us planning to wait for the Switch edition or the 1.0 PC release, Beau Blyth and the team are using Early Access to "make a better game by seeing what people enjoy the most and doubling down on that." (And adding more characters.) As it stands, they say Samurai Gunn 2 is "extremely fun to play right now, and has all of the main modes and features we wan??t in the finished game."

As much as multiplayer is the screaming heart of Samurai Gunn for a lot of people, I'm all a?bout Adventure mode. Whichever you prefer, online support should be a huge boon for the sequel.

The post Samurai Gunn 2 hits Steam Early Access ??this summer, but the Switch version is waiting for 1.0 appeared first on Destructoid.

Maddy Thorson wanted to 'hit that tiny sweet spot between the unknown and the comfort zone' for this new project

After TowerFall and Celeste, you better believe I'll keep tabs on Earthblade, the next 2D game from Extremely OK Games. The team shared a "vibe reveal" today alongside a preview of Lena Raine's soundtrack, the logo and a teaser poster?? by Pedro Medeiros, and a studio check-in from Maddy Thorson. Put another way, we're still in for a bit of a wait here, but they've landed on a direction.

Earthblade 🌷 Vibe reveal! (🔊sound on!)
A 2D explor-action game in a seamless pixel art world. The next release from the Celeste team, coming 20XX. pic.twitter.com/ceAM80PEaG

— Extremely OK Games (@exok_games) April 19, 2021

The developers are calling Earthblade a "2D explor-action game in a seamless pixel art world." I'm immediately picturing what it'll be like to wield a sword given how fantastic Celeste and TowerFell felt.

Here's the full poster (is that a castle to??wer, a giant sword, or bo??th?):

"Finding the right project is hard," Thorson wrote in a blog post. "It has to hit that tiny sweet spot between the unknown and the comfort zone. The unknown is exciting, but scary and diffic?ult. The comfort zone is safe and easy, but boring. It's tempting as an artist to push yourself too far into the unknown, into a project that's not going to get finished given the constraints of your circumstances."

The team didn't strike the right balance on its first, second, or even third try. In the time since Celeste — can you believe it's been?? three years? — they built a few game prototypes that didn't pan out.

"Prototypes EXOK1–3 taught us a lot, but ultimately we ventured way too far from our comfort zone for them to realistically ever get finished," the designer continued. "It took a while, but we feel like we've settled on the right compromise between the two with Earthblade."

"I am so excited about this project," Thorson said. "I can see the whole thing in my head. Not perfectly, mind you —?? most of the details are still pretty blurry in my mental image, and I'm sure a lot will change along the way. But I can see the general shape of it, and?? I feel really good about where it's going."

Unlike Celeste, which had very public-facing updates on Twitter ("we basically tweeted out whatever interesting-looking thing we were working on day-to-day"), Earthblade will be more secretive — at least for now. Extremely OK Games believes "an air of mystery lends itself particularly well to this project, ??so we've opted to save it all up for a big reveal that will hopefully blow your soc?ks off."

They know how to make great-feeling games, so vague or not, no ma????tter how long it takes, I'm in.

The post Earthblade is? the next 2D action game from the Celeste team appeared first on Destructoid.

Early Access is wrapping up and it's releasing on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in mid-May

I'm not so burned out on indie action-platformers that I have to scroll past new ones that show up – at least not at the moment. I could see myself getting invested in Rising Hell, a heavy-metal "vertical platformer" about fighting through hell, when it launches in May 2021 on PC a?nd consoles.

There are several dates to keep track of here: it's coming to PlayStatio?n 4 on May 18, Steam on May 19, Nintendo Switch on May 20, and Xbox One on May 21 from Indonesia-based studio Tahoe Games.

You might've come across Rising Hell on Steam before – it's been in Early Access since October 2019, and there's also a Prologue demo, if you're down. I can't say for sure that I've never seen it, but it looks fresh to me. I like the climb-out-of-hell premise, the inclusion of multiple playable characters (with melee and ranged attacks), and the person on Steam who likened it to Super House of Dead Ninjas.

Compared to earlier builds, the finished version on PC and consoles will have the final boss and endings, balance tweaks to make as many character bui?lds as possib?le feel viable, and more polish passes. In other words, the usual "1.0" stuff for a roguelite game carving its way through Early Access.

Rising Hell seems like something for Slain and Valfaris fans to keep tabs on, for sure. If you want to see a typical run (and you don't want any commentary), here's an older playthrough from World of Longplays.

The post Rising Hell is a roguelite action??-platformer about battling to the top of a hellish t??ower appeared first on Destructoid.

The Early Access version is only $10.39 if you're fast

As a huge Castlevania: Symphony of the Night fan, I feel honor bound to check out Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. It has looked fantastic in Early ??Access, but you know me, I like to wait. Now's the time to strike as Team Ladybug's action-platformer is about to fully launch on March 27.

Better yet, there's still an early-bird discounted price – how does $10.39 sound?

I don't know the source material (I'll leave that to Chris), but I'm convinced I'll enjoy this adaption. When a not-insignificant part of the ??????????????????????????HUD is devoted to a future boss's health bar, I'm in my happy place.

This is an older trailer, but a good starting? point nonethele?ss. You'll know if you're feeling it.

What's up with the Early Access build? I've heard mostly good things about Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. That said, I've also seen comments about it being too short even for an unfinished game. The final version will further round out the experience by adding Stage 5 and Stage 6 with the March 27 update.

If for whatever reason you want to wait it out, the final gam?e wil??l cost $19.99 on Steam.

The post Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is out March 27 and it’s cheap right now in Early Access appeared first on Destructoid.

Tribute Games lives up its name

I feel like I can always count on Tribute Games to tap into retro gaming in a novel way. The team's latest, Panzer Paladin �a level-based action-platformer with shades of Castlevania, Mega Man, Blaster Master, and even Zelda II �has the right stuff. It's a sword-swi??nging mech adventure around the globe.

As an ace power-armor pilot, you'll jet off to around a dozen countries to drive back demonic space invaders inspired by real-world mytho?logy. Medusa, Baba Yaga, Popobawa �the gang's all here.

In the mech, you can wield power?ful (and super short-lived) melee weapons that slice through creeps and conjure spells. Outside the suit, you'll slip through tight passages as a tiny whip-cracking android.

One look at a screenshot �any screenshot �and you'll know if Panzer Paladin is your jam.

Panzer Paladin (Nintendo Switch, PC [reviewed]
Developer: Tribute Games
Publisher: Tribute Games
Released: July 21, 2020
MSRP: $19.99

I can't say enough good things about that "world tour" format. Panzer Paladin uses it to great effect to give every main level a unique identity �n??ot just with cool bosses and vibrant color palettes that fit each particular region, but also memorable tracks to get you in the mech-stomping mood. And if you happen to get stuck �well, more like when you hit a brick wall �you can bounce to a different area.

Panzer Paladin is tough??. If you don't stick to an old-school methodical approach, you're going to take a lot of chip damage, and while there are occasional HP-refill stations, checkpoints are sparse. One bad jump can send you back. The game is also surprisingly beefy. Apart from 11 main choose-your-ideal-order stages, there's an endgame gauntlet with six more levels leading up to the final boss battle.

My first time through took me four hours or so. Since then, I've messed around with a Speedrun mode with ghost data for individual levels, a boss-rush Tournament mode with a points-based retry system, a Blacksmith tool for forg?ing custom pixel-art weapons, and the Remixed Story, which is essentially a more challenging New Game+ mode with minor stage tweaks and enemy-placement alterations.

It's a generous game. My playtime is pushing ??eight hours, and I feel like there's still much to learn.

Panzer Paladin's combat system won't be to everyone's tastes, but it gives the game an interesting texture. In short, you'll constantly pick up "spirit weapons" �swords, spears, hammers, and all manner of melee weaponry �by tearing down demons or busting open hidden walls, Castlevania-style.

They're disposable, as in, they all ha??ve a durability meter in your HUD. Weapons come with varied damage stats and spell capabilities, and you can carry them between levels. You can also equip and unequip them at will �in the latter case, the mech will default to a much-weaker punch attack.

At any point �but preferably right before a weapon is about to break �you can toss it at an enemy. If it collides correctly, it'll do significant damage. If it misses your target, you can pick it back up again. Or �big or �you can shatter a weapon to unleash its spell. I'm talking healing, lightning, projectile deflection, attack/defense buffs, that sorta thing. You also have a shield, a double-jump-style upward thrust, a bouncing downward thrust, a b??ack-dash, and the ability to duck to strike low in duels. Still with me?

That might sound like a lot to manage, especially at first, but it'll cli??ck. The duels against shield-bearing foes, in particular, are very rewarding. There's this great back-and-forth as you clash against each other.

I settled into a routine where I'd try to horde my best gear for boss encounters �ever??y time I came in empty-handed, I had a rough time trimming their life bars �and I just always expected to have to face the recurring mid-level Horseman boss. Without getting into the story or lore too much (there are cutscenes), he shows up if your spirit weapon "burden" is too high. You can check your status from the pause menu. I'll say this much: the Horseman is a pushover, and since you can sacrifice weapons on the world map to permanent?ly boost your mech's HP, there's no real reason not to stockpile everything.

In the event that you run out, you can repla??y a level to re?plenish your stock. I only did this a few times.

Apart from the whole mech-with-a-sword conceit, the other draw for me was the ability to pop out of the armor at any time and grapple-swing as the miniature pilot. In practice, I was a little le??t down. This mechanic is fun enough, but it's predictable. The mandatory out-of-the-mech segments tend to blur together since these platforming routes feel so similar and linear. On the flip side, if you take too much damage and are forced out of the mech (either mid-level or during a boss fight), the tension skyrockets.

A few attack patterns feel under-tuned when it comes to providing a fair challenge for the mech and the fragile pilot, and I would've preferred a consolidated endgame gaunt?let. The final six areas are a satisfying test to clear �I'll never turn down the chance to fight more bosses �but they dragged on.

Did I ever have a stern conversation with my monitor? Yeah. Of course. There are some real cheap shots. Panzer Paladin isn't afraid to put you in frustrating situations that require patient timing, agile reflexes, and occa??sional foresight. It also asks you t??o consider every ability at your disposal, a lesson that took me way too long to get down. (A word of advice: don't forget about your backward dash.)

Tribute Games tapped into a treasure trove of classic games, and that adoration shines bright in Panzer Paladin. In a year already full of great ??action-platformers, this one shouldn't be skipped.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Panzer Paladin appeared first on Destructoid.

July 21 will be here before we know it

Fans of sword-wielding mechs have a lot to look forward to in Panzer Paladin, an upcoming Zelda II-inspired action-platformer from Tribute Games, the studio behind Mercenary Kings and Flinthook. Today, the retro-loving team locked? in the game's launch day on Nintendo Switch and Steam: July 21, 2020.

The release date trailer isn't much to go on if you've never seen Panzer Paladin in action, but this gameplay trailer from May has the right stuff. It's a classic globetrotting adventure (I love the sta??ge-select screen), and when you aren't slaying demons with "over a hundred melee weapons" an?d casting spells from the comfort of a mighty mech suit, you'll zip around as a little pilot with a grappling hook.

Like Tribute's prior work, Panzer Paladin speaks to me on a fundamental level. There's a certain magic to games that can balance old-school roots with more modern touches, and I?'m feeling?? it here.

I also feel like Zelda II is a flawed but fascinating game to draw from. It's such an untapped?? resource.

The post Tribute Games’ demon-crushing platformer Panzer Paladin hits Switch and PC soon appeared first on Destructoid.

The last action-platformer to pull this off was Blasphemous

A single room with a pair of friendly NPCs, enough space to dodge-roll, and a wall to leap off of – that's all it took to convince me that Gestalt: Steam & Cinder, an upcoming revolver-firing,? swo?rd-slashing platformer, will be worth picking up this year. Aletheia's movement and attack options are on-point.

As you might've seen (but no worries if you missed it), Gestalt has a demo up this week on Steam. You should play it! Or at least consider it among the literal hundre??ds of other newly-released demos.

_{If the opening is any indication, Gestalt will have an expansive cast of characters and lots of side-quests.}

There are a few things to note that you might've missed in trailers or other coverage. For starters, Aletheia has to manually reload her gun (using LT) and draw it (RT) before f??iring shots. That might sound like a small-ish detail, but it has big implications. Her foes – mostly thugs and robots, in the case of the demo – have health and "break" meters that she can effectively burst down with bullets to stun them.

Facing off against common creeps and especially the first boss, a man-turned-beast, I felt pressure to constantly be on the move, sneak in slashes, and find windows of opportunity to fire off shots and reload. Aletheia has generous ??i-frames on her forward and backward dodges, but still. It's all so fast.

Definitely play the demo with a gamepad if you have one handy. Gestalt has quite a few?? inputs to keep track of, and even the early enemies will come at you relentlessly. The keyboard controls aren'??t ideal.

_{The boss's green bar is essentially a stagger gauge. It'll refill fast if you take a breather.}

This week?'s Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition demo was a pleasure, even if it fell on the short side a??nd even if there was a lot of upfront dialogue to set the stage for its "twist-laden" steampunk world.

Gestalt's attention to detail in its presentation and animation, soundtrack, tight platforming, and large-scale lore is, at least so far, a treat. I'm curious to see where the story goes – certain word choices, like "einherjar," are pretty intriguing – and how the abilities might expand over time. I didn't get much of a ??sense of the leveling (with stats like END, STR, and LCK) or the (presumably) metroidvania-style map.

There are opportunities for tuning here and there, but looking at the big picture, I'm feeling confident. Gestalt: Steam & Cinder laun??ches this year on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nin??tendo Switch.

I hope it plays like a dream on Switch.

The post Gestalt: Steam & Cinder won me over with its first room appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam demo will be up from June 16 to June 22

I've been meaning to cover Gestalt: Steam & Cinder – a steampunk 2D action game with slashing, shooting, and RPG stat grinding – for a while. It has a shiny new trailer and a limited-time Steam demo launching tomorrow, June 16, as part of the Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition lineup. That'll do!

The protagonist, Aletheia, is a gunslinger caught up in "centuries-old conspiracies" concerning Canaan, a steam-powered city that has become "the last bastion of mankind." She'll have to face automatons, a syndicate, and the city's elites. There's ?also talk of NPC side-quests?? and smashing open secret paths.

Aside from the "Break Rate," which coul?d go either way, I'm extremely into this stat screen:

If I see a critical-chance attribute in an action-RPG, I know it's? on the right track.

Assuming the demo turns out well, you'll want to keep an eye out for Gestalt: Steam & Cinder's release later this ?year. It's confirmed for PC, Xbox One, PlaySta??tion 4, and yes, Nintendo Switch.

I can't say that Gestalt is groundbreaking by any means, but I lik??e how it's coming together.

The post Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has a demo this week if you’re down for a 2D action-RPG appeared first on Destructoid.

It's unclear if the series' gorgeous pixel art will return

It's easy to be skeptical of a new entry in the Metal Slug series, an??d I am, but I'm also clinging? onto hope.

There's a mobile title in production at Tencent, but we're not talking about that – we're here for the upcoming console-bound Metal Slug. Details about the project are still sparse following a report last year, and we haven't seen the art style (pixels, please!), but SNK is now targeting a 2020 release.

To be clear, ??this cons?ole game is a traditional side-scrolling shooter. It at least has that going for it.

The run-and-gun genre is in capable hands in the indie gaming scene, but at the same time, I'd love for Metal Slug to have a modern-day resurgence. I light up whenever I ??see one of the arcade cabinets.

If they're able to reca?pture the intricate pixel art and animation, are you down for this game?

New Metal ??Slug Console and Mobile Games Take Aim at a 2020 Release [Siliconera] [Image credit]

The post We’re getting a new Metal Slug in 2020 and my fingers are crossed appeared first on Destructoid.

The long wait for this action-platformer should be worth it

I haven't thought about Steel Assault in years, but the whip-cracking action-platformer is back and better than ever. The developer, Zenovia, posted a new trailer today ahead of the game's Steam launch.

It's so cool – so wonderfully chaotic yet smooth – that I felt compelled to watch the trailer multiple times. I said "holy shit." If you have a soft spot for Contra, Bionic Commando, Mega Man Zero, and anything else on that general mood board, you'll want to wishlist Steel Assault before you forget.

My two at-a-glance, I-gotta-get-going takeaways for busy readers: there's a grapple-hook/zipline mechanic (and it looks fresh as hell), and this isn't a metroidvania. "No aimless wandering, s??traight-line corridors, or design-by-algorithm," note??s Zenovia. "Just hand-crafted stage-based action."

When's it launching? For now, "2020." The team shared a status update today on Kickstarter.

"There's still lots of stuff even in the clips shown that will need to b?e polished and unified on the way to release, but I think they are both more than good enough for the time being," said designer Sri Kankanahalli. "So, marketing time is over, and back to work we go; we'll keep you posted."

The post Steel Assault resur??faced with a Steam trailer and it looks absurdly good appeared first on Destructoid.

Your suffering will be legendary

Blasphemous might?? be 2019's gnarliest video game. Its odds are certainly up t?here.

Drawing direct inspiration from the usual suspects like Dark Souls and Castlevania – the series, I mean, not just Symphony of the Night – Blasphemous crafts a bleak world dominated by a sinister, all-encompassing religious fervor. Themes of sinners, saints, and?? sorrow touch every facet of this game, from iconography and prose to enemy designs and set-pieces to characters and their grim tales.

Instead of resting at a bonfire, you'll seek respite at life-generating prayer desks. Rather than cast magical spells, you'll wield powerful "prayers." Ability-boosting items are affixed to a rosary. The list goes on and on, endlessly. It's not every day we see a video game just go for it like this, and while Blasphemous doesn't nail the landing across the b??oard, i?t's one seriously enthralling metroidvania.

Blasphemous (Nintendo Switch [reviewed], PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team17 Digital
Released: September 10, 2019
MSRP: $24.99

I really mean it! These last few years have been generous to 'vania fans. A ton of promising games have tried to make a name for themselves, and while some rank alongside the best of 'em, others fell way below lofty expectations. Blasphemous won't go dow??n as an instant classic, but know this: it's great.

With that preface out of the way, what is this game, exactly? It's not an attempt at 2D Souls, despite what you might be thinking. You aren't going to be grinding for XP or keeping a watchful eye on a stamina meter. In a lot of ways, Blasphemous is a traditional action-platformer; it just so happens to borrow elements like tying enemy respawns to resting and drenching item descri??ptions in lore.

Playing as The Penitent One, a silent sword-wielding masked warrior, you're on a singular mission to incite change in a cursed, guilt-ridden land. That I can say for certain. Otherwise, post-credits, I'm still working things out. The narrative requires piecing together disparate clues and reading between the lines. If you can't be bothered, that's fine. You'll find value in the lavish world-building and double-take-worthy cutscenes – enough to get you from Point A t??o B to Z and back up to A for an overloo??ked item.

Cvstodia is a sprawling non-linear setting, the kind you won't mind combing through again and again in search of (largely optional) collectibles. You'll encounter more than a few dead ends in the opening hours as you find the first three bosses necessary for bypassing an early roadblock, but for the most part, Blasphemous does a good job of letting?? you loose while still subtly funneling you along.

Completionists will have a hell of a time scrounging for everything, though – there's a ton of stuff to uncover, some of which is practical, and some of which is basically filler meant to flesh out the background and set the mood. I'm missing several pesky cherubs and lore-filled bones, much to my chagrin, but the actual critical-path story-progressing items never gave me any real trouble.

I struggled the most with the tricky platforming bits, all things considered. Whereas hand-to-hand combat has a satisfying if basic learning curve (tip: make smart use of the sliding dodge maneuver and unlock the lunging strike as soon as possible), circumventing insta-kill spike traps never seemed to get much easier for me. When you aren't slicing apart tormented souls in Blasphemous, you're scaling walls with your sword, leaping between disintegrat??ing platforms, and grasping precarious ledges.

The ease with which you can be knocked around and unceremoniously plummet to your doom began to grate on me, particularly when my last prie-dieu (respawn point) was dozens of rooms back. Certai??n foes also have a tendency of combo-i?ng The Penitent One into submission. It's not the best feeling.

To even the odds a bit, you can search for special rooms that serve as permanent upgrades to your health and mana reserves. Rest assured, you can also earn additional healing flasks. There isn't much else in the way of player progression, though. You can accumulate minor buffs with items on your rosary and unlock a handful of attack upgrades on a short skill tree, but nothing crazy. Whether you're a few minutes in or your save file is pushing fifteen hours, combat doesn't evolve in a meaningful way. On the flip side, it never seems to get old. I dig it – I just would've liked more options at my disposal.

I came into Blasphemous expecting the bosses to be the big swear-inducing hurdle – and admittedly, some of them are no joke – but they are by no means grueling. You'll need to learn their tells to reliably predict incoming moves, sure, but there's plenty of margin for error. Their grotesque designs are a high point. One late-game fight in particular demands a mastery of parrying, and I'm still buzzing from it.

On that note, I can't get Blasphemous off my mind. I may never fully grasp the opaque story even with the inevitable community-led theories and explainers lending a hand, but that's okay. Even taken as a fanatical fever-dream, this game delivers. Some aspects aren't as fine-tuned or ambitious as they could've been, leading to unevenness, but there's so much for metroidv??ania fans to latch onto here.

In the meantime, I'll be running laps in hopes of hitting that coveted 100% completion rate.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Blasphemous appeared first on Destructoid.

Risk and reward

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair popped up unexpectedly a couple weeks ago, and we were able to get some hands-on time with it at E3 last week. It takes the lizard-and-bat duo from 2017's crowdfunded 3D platformer and flattens the action down to two dimensions. From the basic premise, I'm predicting it'll be big at AGDQ after it releases this year.

See, the Impossible Lair mentioned in the title is a challenge issued by Capital B, daring Yooka and Laylee to try to complete it. As such, it is available right from the start, and in theory, somebody could go straight to it and beat the game without touching any of the other levels. It would require a standard of perfection you only see out of the highest-level players who practice a game for months or years, striving to ??be the world's best.

Though Playtonic showed very little of the lair itself, the developers showing the game off noted that if they made attempts at the Impossible Lair unassisted, they'd be lucky to make it 5% of the way through before biting the bullet. It's theoretically possible for gaming gods to?? do it. For the res??t of us, there is still hope in completing the Impossible Lair.

See, completing each regular level frees a member of Queen Phoebee's royal guard, the Beetalion. (There are still a lot of bee puns in this entry in the series.) What those little be?e friends provide Yooka and Laylee are additional hits they can take in the Impossible Lair. Finish a level, rescue a bee, increase your endurance in the final level.

What I love about this idea is that it lets the player set the difficulty organicall?y. The hardest of the hardcore can attempt to navigate the Impossible Lair without any bee assistance. The completionists will go for all 48 bees before entering the lair, allowing them to take 48 hits before things look dire. At any point in between, players can decide to take on the final challenge and venture in.

Even without any Beetalion members, Yooka and Laylee can take one hit and still recover. It's a bit like Sonic and his rings or Yoshi?? and his Baby Mario: the first hit makes Laylee freak out and start flying away, but if Yooka can catch her and calm her down, he has his safety net back. If she stays out too long, she'll fly away and Yooka is left to fend for himself. This is doubly dangerous, because not only does Laylee provide the protection from one hit, she's also instrumental in some of the movement abilities like the mid-air twirl and the butt stomp.

Losing Laylee totally changes the cadence of a level. With all the abilities available and a free hit, players can be cruising through an area, rolling for speed and jumping and twirling to maintain it. Then some mean bug hits the duo, and Yooka has to continue at a much more careful pace, until he can get to a particular checkpoint to bring Laylee back. I can picture? a speed run brought to a tense moment after an errant mistake, the runner weighing options on how best to proceed.

There are 20 le??????????????????????????vels to navigate through and an overworld map to get between the levels. The cool thing about the overworld map is that there's more to do than just walk between the interesting parts. There are exploration and puzzle-solving aspects in the overworld, and certain activities in the overworld will unlock the second version for each level.

Playtonic made a point to say that the second version of a level would? play significantly differently than the original, and that no idea for changing a level is recycled. One example they gave was flooding the level on the overworld, then entering it to find the same level geometry, only now it's all underwater, forcing Yooka and Laylee to swim through instead. Another example was a level on a drawbridge, where the first time through it's horizontal, but the second time through it's been rotated 90 degrees into a more vertical space.

With 20 levels and alternate ??versions of each, that accounts for 40 of the 48 royal?? guard members. The remaining eight bees are acquired "elsewhere," which probably means somehow through the overworld. But it won't be necessary to catch 'em all. I can picture the speedrun leaderboards right now, with the fastest clears happening after having only completed 10 or 20 levels, whittling down and down until somebody beats the Impossible Lair unassisted, in one perfect run.

The post Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is g??oing to be a darling in the spee?drunning community appeared first on Destructoid.

Gothic action-platformer now Switch-bound

Have you heard about Blasphemous? You need to hear about Blasphemous.

It's a dark-fantasy action game from The Last Door creator The Game Kitchen and publisher Team17, and it looks gnarly in all the right ways. I was already feeling the religious theme and imagery, but this trailer – created to confirm a release across PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch – just cements it. Some promising vani??a-inspired games in recent years?? ended up falling flat, but I'm not worried here.

Like, one of the bosses is a giant gross head. That's when I knew Blasphemous got me.

"Prepare for a descent into a dark and punishing Metroidvania world where fast-paced, skilled combat combines with a deep and evocative narrative core. You will play?? as The Penitent One, a sole survivor of the massacre of the Silent Sorrow. Exploring the nightmarish world of Cvstodia and unlocking the?? hellish secrets within, only you can free it from a twisted fate and reach the origin of your torment."

Blasphemous will launch sometime in 2019 for PC and consoles. (The trailer says "soon," but let's not psych ourselves up too much.) You're into thi??s ??vibe, right? I can't get over that wicked helmet.

The post I can’t let Blasphemous fly under your radar appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't say soulslike, don't say soulslike, don't say soulslike...

Worship the contest gods and win a Steam copy of Dark Devotion!

We've covered this one a few times in the past, so I'm happy to be able to get you guys a chance to win it. Check out Jordan's preview of Dark Devotion, a 2D action/RPG with weighty combat and gloomy???? visuals.

Like what you see? Come win it!

Read a description from developer The Arca??de Crew!

The eternal suffering of The Templars is both a blessing and a curse - salvation is born through sacrifice, and no sacrifice is too great to pra?ise your God. A mystical temple teeming with a strange life-like energy of its own awaits you on your sacred crusade of suffering and redemption that will take you to the depths of traditions spanning centuries – and leave you questioning your faith and your own existence.

Span??ning across four unique worlds, each with their own variety of environments bursting with detail, players will choose from dozen??s of weapons and learn from them the secret of the Temple as they fight superbly crafted bosses with one mission: to destroy your soul and damn you forever.

Dark Devotion features several distinctive gameplay mechanics for greatly expanded replayability &?ndash; the prayers, blessings and curses system allows for flexibility and a variety of approaches to each foe, whi?le its myriad of weaponry allow for combining skillsets to alter your approach with each play through.

Invite me over if you win so I can play it, too.

To enter to win, comment below telling us your blessing or curse??. If you have both, tell us! I only have curses. Like fuck and shit and butt. I??'m cursed!

We have five Steam copies to give away. Winners will be drawn on Friday, May 3. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. New users can sign up here to share some of your favorite curses!

Dark Devotion is available now for Steam. Head over to PC Invasion for more chances to win!

The post Contest: Win a Steam copy of Dark Devotion appeared first on Destructoid.

Castle of Illusion! Contra: Hard Corps! Streets of Rage 2!

Sega has announced the next ten games coming to the Sega Genesis mini and things are looking great. Any fans of the classic Disney game Castle of Illusion are in for a treat, because both it and the sequel, World of Illusion, will be available alongside a host of fan-favorite games. Contra: Hard Corps, Streets of Rage 2, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master: it's all very exciting.

Even more exciting is that M2 is handling the emulation for these titles. While this was previously known, it begs repeating since M2 is the best in the business. One only need look at the recent Sega Ages releas??es on Switch to see that M2 typically provides an experience better than the original, so there's?? hope that the Genesis Mini will be a must own item for retro enthusiasts.

Here is the list of?? the next 10 games coming to the device.

• Earthworm Jim
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
• World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
• Contra: Hard Corps
• Streets of Rage 2
• Thunder Force III
• Super Fantasy Zone
• Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
• Landstalker

It should be noted that the currently announced 20 games are only for the US version of the device. The Japanese Mega Drive mini has a slightly altered list of titles available on it. We previously listed the first 10 in our original announcement post, so I'll only list the next 10 below.

• Contra Hard Corps
• Dyna Brothers 2: Sega Channel Special
• Game no Kanzume Otokuyo
• Landstalker
• MUSHA
• Streets of Rage 2
• Super Fantasy Zone
• The Hybrid Front
• Thunder Force III
• World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck

Sega Mega Drive Mini's Next 10 Games Include Landstalker, Dyna Brothers 2: Sega Channel Special [Siliconera]

The post Sega reveals 10 more classics c??oming to the Genesis mini appeared first on Destructoid.

What goes up...

A new 2D arena shooter is headed to PS4, PC and Xbox One courtesy of Brazilian indie kids Studica Studios. Gravity Heroes is a 2D platform shooter where every ceiling, every w??all, every surface is a floor.

Set in a near-future, where man and machine live in tranquil harmony, a sudden and seemingly motiveless revolt takes place, with the world's synthetic populace turning on its flesh friends. You are one of the Gravity Heroes, a crack team dis??patched to get to the root of the problem, battling your way through the uprising and uncovering the mystery behind the civil war.

As you can see from the trailer above, Gravity Heroes feat?ures 16-bit style visuals and sound, somewhat reminiscent of early '90s Amiga titles. Players must shoot it out against the enemy in topsy-turvy, single-screen battles, utilising weapons, power-ups and clever movement to outgun 25 enemy types and a selec??tion of bosses.

When not blasting through the campaign mode, players can engage in competitive battles, fighting friends to prove yourself the true master of gravity (even though we all know it's actually Kat, right?) Gravity Heroes will launch this fall for PS4, PC and Xbox One.

The post Retro style? arena game Gravity Heroes wants to flip your lid appeared first on Destructoid.

With a touch of Zelda II

The folks behind Mercenary Kings, Flinthook, and Ninja Senki DX are cooking up another adventure molded after their love of retro gaming. Panzer Paladin, the next title from Tribute Games, will let you slice ??demons in? a sword-wielding mech and eject your pilot to squeeze through narrow castle corridors.

I love a good video game whip, and this one looks leg??it.

📢 Upcoming Game: ðŸ›¡ï¸ PANZER PALADIN âš”ï¸

Eject from the Paladin to control the small but swift Squire pilot! Use your laser whip to attack enemies, swing across gaps, and recharge the Paladin’s energy.

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news! âž¡ï¸ //t.co/2rYBNImikD pic.twitter.com/ztrtujTVRV

— Tribute Games 🔜 PAX East (@TributeGames) March 13, 2019

"For a long time I wanted to make a NES-style game with swordplay mechanics like the ones from Zelda II on NES," said game designer Jonathan Lavigne. "Panzer Paladin is the culmination of two subjects I wanted to address in a trad??itional platform?er: swordplay and mechas."

There are a few different facets to combat, including the ability to block, throw, sn?atch fallen foes' weapons, and even cast spells. Today's promo push is on the lighter side, but I'm listening.

Ahead of the Panzer Paladin's spring 2020 launch, there will be a public showing this month at PAX East. (Find it at booth #17116.) And before you think to ask, platforms are "to be determined."

The post It’s mechs versus demons in Panzer Paladin, the latest from Tribute Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Hollowlujah!

Hollow Knight is a masterpiece. This isn't really a new or interesting opinion. People have been shouting it from the rooft?ops ever since it released two years ago.

Soon, Hollow Knight will have space on shelves at home. Developer Team Cherry is finally set to release a physical edition of Hollow Knight thanks to some help from Fangamer. There's a standard edition that runs $29 on PC and PS4, a?nd $34 on Switch. It comes with the game, a manual, and a map of Hallownest.

However, for anyone trying to find all the collectibles, there's a collector's edition that comes with some gems. Besides the stuff from the standard edition, the collector's edition also gets: a gold foil collector's box, a knight brooch and stand, a 14-pa??ge Quirrel comic book, a gold foil art print set, a papercraft set, and a bonus cleaning cloth for Switch purchases. The collector's edition is $64 on PC and PS4, and $69 on Switch.

These physical copies of Hollow Knight won't be out imminently. They're expected to ship on May 31, meaning people won't have them until the beginning of June at the earliest. But we've waited this long, what's a few more months? At least we know it's really happening after a setback last year threatened to keep Hollow Knight forever digital.

Hollow Knight [Fangamer]

The post Hollow Knight is finall??y getting the physical edition it deserves appeared first on Destructoid.

We're not responsible for broken controllers

Yell at your Xbox One with our contest: Win an Xbox One copy of Salt and Sanctuary.

Honestly, whenever games come out across multiple platforms,? I do my best to gi??ve everyone some love. Who doesn't like to win free stuff?

We gave out Salt and Sanctuary for Switch and PC ages ago. Now that?? it's out for Xb?ox One, we doubled back around to make sure our Xbox readers could get in on it. So, come win a copy!

Ska Studios has some words for ya:

A doomed sailor is shipwrecked on an uncharted island. In fog-shrouded valleys, where grinning, mossy corpses cling to ru??sted arms, shambling figures begin to stir. Beneath crumbling, salt-worn structures, labyrinthine passageways lead to unspeakable evil, long forgotten by man.

Salt and Sanctuary seamlessly?? combines fast, brutal, and complex 2D combat with richly-developed RPG mechanics. Discover, craft, and upgrade over 600 weapons, armor pieces, spells, and items as you explore a cursed realm of forgotten cities, blood-soaked dungeons, desecrated monuments, and the fallen lords they once celebrated.

From Ska Studios, the award-winning indie studio behind a long list of stylistic, visceral, and brutally executed action titles that includes The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, and Charlie Murder, comes Salt and Sanctuary, the studio's most ambitious title to date.

To enter to win your copy, comment below telling us your gaming salt, and your gaming sanctuary. In other words, which game makes you frothing-at-the-mouth angry, and which makes you feel warm and welcome? BioShock: Infinite makes me salty as shit (because it sucks lol), but man Katamari takes away all the pa??in and makes everything better again. God bless that craz??y, sticky, confusing little ball.

We have ten Xbox One keys to give away. Winners will be drawn on Friday, March 8. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. New users can sign up here and get all salty with us. In mo??re ways than one.

Salt and Sanctuary is available now for Xbox One, and basically everything else. Hit up Xbox Enthusiast for more chances to win!

The post Contest: Win an?? Xbox One copy of Salt and Sanctuary appeared first on Destructoid.

Enter, and then exit, the dragon

Keep your wits about you in this contest for Dragon: Marked for Death for Nintendo Switch!

When Jonathan Holmes says, "H?ey, check this out," I check it out. It's a simple rule I follow around here. The dude's been around forever, knows everyone, and typically knows when something is c??ool.

Jonathan Holmes said, "Hey, check out Dragon: Marked for Death." I think you should listen to the man. We?'ve got some Switch copies to give away, so you have no excuse not to!

This 2D action-platformer sees you playing as o??ne of four warrior classes of the Dragonblood Clan set on enacting their revenge. After their king?dom was destroyed and their oracle captured, they must channel the aura of the Astral Dragon to obtain the powers of the dragon. Using their new abilities, the warriors will fight, defend, and quest their way to obtain higher experience and abilities to carry out their mission. The best part -- you can play local or online multiplayer with up to four players at once. Hell yeah.

This game comes in two sets, each featuring two warrior classes. The Advanced Attackers pack includes:

• Shinobi: The Shinobi is a quick and nimble DPS character who bears the power of the Astral Dragon in his legs. Armed with deadly kunai and shuriken, he excels at generating/keeping aggro, and he is well equipped at avoiding damage with his unparalleled speed and by utilizing tricky movement abilities such as the wall kick, glide, and double-jump.
• Witch: The Witch is a spell-caster that bears the extraordinary depth of the Astral Dragon's knowledge. She can damage her enemies with powerful offensive spells and heal her allies with restorative magic.

The Frontline Fighters pack includes:

• Empress: The Empress is a well-balanced DPS character who bears the power of the Astral Dragon in her arm. She utilizes powerful sword attacks at close range and fiery dragon breath attacks at mid to long range to make short work of her foes.
• Warrior: The Warrior is a tank type character who bears the power of the Astral Dragon's scales in his torso. He can deploy an impregnable shield that protects and heals his allies, and can deliver powerful attacks with his two-handed weapons.

Whichever pack you choose, you're getting the full b?ase game with the two chosen warriors right off the bat. If you want to add to your repertoire, you can purcha??se the other pack from the eShop.

We're giving you a head start by letting you try out half of the ro??ster for free!

To enter to win, use the widget below to drop your name and email address, and specify w??hich pack you want to win. You can enter daily for additional chances to win. For bonus chances, follow Dtod and publisher Inti Creates on Twitter and share our post with your friends.

In the meantime, tell us in the comments below what your warrior class would be, and which of your body parts is imbued with the Astral Dragon. I'd be a Shit-Talker, since the Astral Dragon gave my lips the power to endless talk shit without concern f??or the consequences. It's gotten me into a few bar fights, for sure, but what's life without a little bit of getting punched in the stomach in ??public? Not a life I want to live.

We have three keys for each set to give away. Our keys are for NA eShop accounts only. Winners will be drawn on Friday??, February 8.

Dragon: Marked for Death -- Advanced Attackers and Frontline Fighters are available now on the Switch eShop.

Contest: Win a Switch copy of? Dragon: Marked for Death

The post ?Contest: Win a Switch copy of Dragon: Marked for Death appeared first on Destructoid.