Title: Somerville
Developer: Chris Olsen
Platforms: PC
---
When I wrote about Somerville last year, I was already impressed. From its brilliant narrative framework of a teacher telling her class the story of humanity's war against an alien incursion, to its smoothly animated movement and low-poly aesthetic, the game was shaping up to be one promising cinematic platformer. Since then, the game has only evolved further, especially in the art department.
Perhaps the biggest change since the last article is visually. Somerville's environments have gone from simple test levels to atmospheric landscapes. Dark forests, midnight skies filled with menacing monolithic alien vessels, ruined churches and bridges, and much more await our hero.
But these environments aren't just static places to be explored. Wildlife roams the woodlands and wind whips at the underbrush and other loose items like leaves and tarps.
These beautiful but dangerous levels must be traversed with caution, watching out for patrolling drones, mines and other threats. But John is as versatile and ready to fight as ever, now able to wield a knife with smooth efficiency,
Somerville's development is moving at a steady pace; you can follow its progress on the developer's Tumblr and Twitter pages.
Developer: Chris Olsen
Platforms: PC
---
When I wrote about Somerville last year, I was already impressed. From its brilliant narrative framework of a teacher telling her class the story of humanity's war against an alien incursion, to its smoothly animated movement and low-poly aesthetic, the game was shaping up to be one promising cinematic platformer. Since then, the game has only evolved further, especially in the art department.
Perhaps the biggest change since the last article is visually. Somerville's environments have gone from simple test levels to atmospheric landscapes. Dark forests, midnight skies filled with menacing monolithic alien vessels, ruined churches and bridges, and much more await our hero.
Title: Slain
Developer: Wolfbrew Games
Platforms:
Releasing January 27th (PC), May 2016 (PS4, Xbox One, WiiU)
---
Last time I posted about Slain, it was February and the game was in the midst of a Kickstarter. Since then, the Gothic hack-n-slash was only gotten more gorgeous and gory.
In Slain, you play as white-haired hero Bathoryn, as he embarks on a quest to defeat seven dark overlords. From the crimson halls of The Blood Tower to the great lupin effigies around the Wolf Tower, each area is unique and filled with deadly traps to avoid and dangerous beasts to slay.
Since the Kickstarter, the developers have been working on new enemies, areas, and effects, each rendered in smooth and lavishly detailed pixel art. The gameplay has been improved, with a slick new dodge maneuver, faster animations, and blade power-ups like the flame sword and ice axe. Below is a collection of GIFs from the past months showing off Slain's monsters, locations, and art style.
Originally planned to release in December, Slain had a slight delay till late January, so the developers can further polish the game. The PC version is slated to release on January 27th, with console versions coming later in 2016.
You can learn more about Slain here and find more GIFs and screenshots on the developer's Twitter page.
Developer: Wolfbrew Games
Platforms:
Releasing January 27th (PC), May 2016 (PS4, Xbox One, WiiU)
---
Last time I posted about Slain, it was February and the game was in the midst of a Kickstarter. Since then, the Gothic hack-n-slash was only gotten more gorgeous and gory.
Since the Kickstarter, the developers have been working on new enemies, areas, and effects, each rendered in smooth and lavishly detailed pixel art. The gameplay has been improved, with a slick new dodge maneuver, faster animations, and blade power-ups like the flame sword and ice axe. Below is a collection of GIFs from the past months showing off Slain's monsters, locations, and art style.
You can learn more about Slain here and find more GIFs and screenshots on the developer's Twitter page.
Title: Subnautica
Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
Platforms: PC, Mac
---
I had last wrote about Subnautica in June, stating how its alien ocean environment fostered an atmosphere of wonder and discovery. Since then, the game has only gotten bigger and even expanded to a new platform,
Subnautica came to Mac over the summer, and with that new platform also came a plethora of new content. The underworld world has grown to include two new biomes: the Underwater Islands and Sparse Reef. The former consists of massive chunks of rock and soil supported on the backs of buoyant growths; be careful navigating the waterfall of sands as sharks and other predators lurk around these islands. The latter is an emptier place of rolling dunes and new flora to discover.
Your tech arsenal has expanded as well. Along with the Repulsion Cannon, you can now build larger more complex habitats. Bases can include structures such as a Seamouth dry dock, an observatory to enjoy the underwater vistas safely, new storage compartments, and bulkhead doors.
An upcoming update will allow players to customize the Seamouth submersible with different colors and upgrades like sensor torpedoes.
You can purchase Subnautica and follows its development here.
Title: Twin Souls
Developer: Lince Works
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
Releasing mid-2016
---
Last time I wrote about Twin Souls, back in June 2014, the game was in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign. Unfortunately Lince Works didn't meet their funding goal, but despite that setback, development continued. Now over a year later, Twin Souls is looking better than ever and is even coming to consoles.
While the core concept of a revived assassin who can control the shadows remains the same, Twin Souls has evolved in every other aspect. Aside from creating shadows to aid stealth, your powers are more versatile now, from the ranged Kunai shadow dagger and explosive Shinen trap to creating decoys with your Sakkaku ability, among others. You can devour your foes with shadow dragons and serpents, erasing their bodies from existence, or emerge from ceilings and walls to strike. A cover system and crouching compliments your powerful abilities.
However, your enemies are also better equipped to deal with your shadowy tactics. There are light barriers and runes that can block your path and make it harder to sneak around. Guards can wield light-imbued swords, use light spells to illuminate the darkness, and fire light arrows from a distance.
Twin Souls' gameplay isn't the only element to receive an upgrade. Your protagonist Aragami was given a complete re-design, now sporting a more colorful, form-fitting outfit, and brought to life through motion capture and cloth physics. The cel-shaded visuals are more vibrant and vivid, thanks to new shaders, lighting, and other graphical effects.
Twin Souls is aiming for a mid 2016 release, and is currently playable at Gamescom. You can learn more about the game here and follow development through its TIGSource Devlog and Twitter page.
Developer: Lince Works
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
Releasing mid-2016
---
Last time I wrote about Twin Souls, back in June 2014, the game was in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign. Unfortunately Lince Works didn't meet their funding goal, but despite that setback, development continued. Now over a year later, Twin Souls is looking better than ever and is even coming to consoles.
While the core concept of a revived assassin who can control the shadows remains the same, Twin Souls has evolved in every other aspect. Aside from creating shadows to aid stealth, your powers are more versatile now, from the ranged Kunai shadow dagger and explosive Shinen trap to creating decoys with your Sakkaku ability, among others. You can devour your foes with shadow dragons and serpents, erasing their bodies from existence, or emerge from ceilings and walls to strike. A cover system and crouching compliments your powerful abilities.
However, your enemies are also better equipped to deal with your shadowy tactics. There are light barriers and runes that can block your path and make it harder to sneak around. Guards can wield light-imbued swords, use light spells to illuminate the darkness, and fire light arrows from a distance.
Title: Besiege
Developer: Spiderling Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
---
Back in January, I posted about Besiege and its medieval physics-based vehicular chaos. For an early alpha, the level of polish was astounding, and the game has only been improved since then.
The new island of Tolbrynd joined the original island, with five new levels of fortifications to raze. The next update, coming in July, will expand this island with five more levels.
To compliment the challenges, a varied array of new parts have been added. Drill heads, different sized cogs, a powerful shrapnel cannon, new wheel types, and more, as well as improvements and refinements to the building interface, have provided myriad new ways to design machines.
The upcoming update will also add Steam Workshop support, making it easier than ever before to be amazed by the inventive designs from the community.
Besiege is available for $6.99 on Steam Early Access and through Humble.
Developer: Spiderling Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
---
Back in January, I posted about Besiege and its medieval physics-based vehicular chaos. For an early alpha, the level of polish was astounding, and the game has only been improved since then.
The new island of Tolbrynd joined the original island, with five new levels of fortifications to raze. The next update, coming in July, will expand this island with five more levels.
Title: Fancy Skulls
Developer: tequibo
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Recently released on Steam Early Access
---
I covered Fancy Skulls back in October, and since then the game has only been expanded and improved. The same core mechanics and aspects that made the game so enjoyable remain: the abstract visuals, the mix of frantic evasion and precise shooting, the mysterious items and enemies, the diverse weapon mods and abilities. But developer tequibo has made steady progress in the past eight months, and Fancy Skulls today feels more complete and even more fun.
New and enhanced enemies threaten you at each room, from teleporting pods to deadly variations of the projectile-spewing turret...things. The levels feel more diverse, thanks to a more varied color scheme, new textures, and weird twitching flora. New items and weapon mods offer more ways to alter your playstyle, and the mana system was revamped, changed from a set number of uses to a recharging bar. Completing in-game challenges unlock special starting builds and modifiers, such as random gun, Alchemist, and Thief.
Fancy Skulls is still in beta, and was recently Greenlit and released on Steam Early Access. The development roadmap includes improved visuals; new enemies, weapon mods, and items; a story, and more. You can purchase the game from the developer's site, Steam, and IndieGameStand.
Developer: tequibo
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Recently released on Steam Early Access
---
I covered Fancy Skulls back in October, and since then the game has only been expanded and improved. The same core mechanics and aspects that made the game so enjoyable remain: the abstract visuals, the mix of frantic evasion and precise shooting, the mysterious items and enemies, the diverse weapon mods and abilities. But developer tequibo has made steady progress in the past eight months, and Fancy Skulls today feels more complete and even more fun.
New and enhanced enemies threaten you at each room, from teleporting pods to deadly variations of the projectile-spewing turret...things. The levels feel more diverse, thanks to a more varied color scheme, new textures, and weird twitching flora. New items and weapon mods offer more ways to alter your playstyle, and the mana system was revamped, changed from a set number of uses to a recharging bar. Completing in-game challenges unlock special starting builds and modifiers, such as random gun, Alchemist, and Thief.
Title: SuperHOT
Developer: SuperHOT Team
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Currently on Kickstarter, Summer 2015 release
---
SuperHOT was one of my favorite indies of 2013. While only a short prototype developed for the 7DFPS challenge, it was a promising game that combined stylish minimalist art with a unique "time moves when you move" mechanic, turning shootouts into art in motion and a puzzle action as you weaved between bullets and planned around your limited ammo. It was a project just begging to be expanded and explored further...and thankfully the developers thought the same. SuperHOT is back, bigger and more stylish than ever before.
The innovative mechanics and oh-so-satisfying gunplay remains intact, but the appearance and scope has evolved and matured. The minimal art has been upgraded to a textured, more detailed look that retains the contrasting red-on-white color scheme of the original. The gameplay has seen similar growth, promising a larger arsenal of guns and explosives, smarter and varied enemies, an endless arena mode, and Oculus Rift support. Perhaps what's most exciting about this expanded SuperHOT is the developer's vision for new levels: "shootout in a subway train, showdown on the top of a skyscraper in rain, jumping into a moving elevator...fighting in the middle of a motorway during rush hour." No longer will SuperHOT's action be confined to corridors and simple rooms, but expanded to visceral scenarios that rival the best action scenes. 
Oh, and swords. You can slice bullets in half with a sword. 
SuperHOT is currently seeking funds on Kickstarter (almost 50% funded in only a few hours!). You play the original prototype here.
Developer: SuperHOT Team
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Currently on Kickstarter, Summer 2015 release
---
SuperHOT was one of my favorite indies of 2013. While only a short prototype developed for the 7DFPS challenge, it was a promising game that combined stylish minimalist art with a unique "time moves when you move" mechanic, turning shootouts into art in motion and a puzzle action as you weaved between bullets and planned around your limited ammo. It was a project just begging to be expanded and explored further...and thankfully the developers thought the same. SuperHOT is back, bigger and more stylish than ever before.
Title: Prisonscape
Developer: Heaviest Matter
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Currently Kickstarting, late 2014 release
---
Prisonscape was among the first games I previewed all the back in September. Now the RPG is aiming for a December release and progressed leaps and bounds since last fall.
Prisonscape is an adventure RPG set, not in a sci-fi future or the grand halls of some fantastical world, but in the gritty grimy corridors of prison. Through bloody violence, sharp tongue, intimidation, intelligence, or a combination of all those elements, you must navigate the various gangs, the racial factions, the guards, friends and foes alike to endure prison life. While the gameplay discussed in the last preview remains intact, new details have emerged. The player will progress from county jail to state-of-the-art Miranda Unit, followed by two other areas. Crafting is far more realistic than other games, a layered deep process even to make something as simple as a basic shiv. Drug addiction and withdrawal, working with guards as a snitch, the ever-looming threat of a cell shakedown, Prisonscape promises to offer a "gritty, uncompromising atmosphere", compared to other prison games such as The Escapists or Prison Architect.
Prisonscape is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. You can also vote for the game on Steam Greenlight. If you're going to be PAX East this weekend, the developers will be showcasing the game there as well.
Developer: Heaviest Matter
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Currently Kickstarting, late 2014 release
---
Prisonscape was among the first games I previewed all the back in September. Now the RPG is aiming for a December release and progressed leaps and bounds since last fall.
Prisonscape is an adventure RPG set, not in a sci-fi future or the grand halls of some fantastical world, but in the gritty grimy corridors of prison. Through bloody violence, sharp tongue, intimidation, intelligence, or a combination of all those elements, you must navigate the various gangs, the racial factions, the guards, friends and foes alike to endure prison life. While the gameplay discussed in the last preview remains intact, new details have emerged. The player will progress from county jail to state-of-the-art Miranda Unit, followed by two other areas. Crafting is far more realistic than other games, a layered deep process even to make something as simple as a basic shiv. Drug addiction and withdrawal, working with guards as a snitch, the ever-looming threat of a cell shakedown, Prisonscape promises to offer a "gritty, uncompromising atmosphere", compared to other prison games such as The Escapists or Prison Architect.
Title: XenoRaptor
Developer: Peter Cleary
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Beta available now
---
I shared my thoughts on XenoRaptor in early February, and I've been enjoying this franctic action shooter and its bullet hell mayhem ever since. The developer has been working tirelessly on the game, providing regular updates on his Tumblr and TIGForums, and XenoRaptor has only gotten bigger and better over the weeks. This is a game best seen in motion so I hope you don't mind some excessive use of GIFs.
Additions have included:
Doubling the amount of enemies and bullets onscreen, allowing for even more chaos and making explosive weaponry more effective
New weapons, such as the tactical nuke (with lasers!), improved laser, and multi-directional firepower
New engines abilities like hyperdrive
Bigger bosses and the ability to mind-control bosses
The developer is also improving the menus and working on an objectives system, that will provide missions such as defending a base or friendly ship and surviving while confined to specific area. You can buy Xenoraptor or try the demo here, follow the game on Tumblr, and vote for it on Steam Greenlight.
Developer: Peter Cleary
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Beta available now
---
I shared my thoughts on XenoRaptor in early February, and I've been enjoying this franctic action shooter and its bullet hell mayhem ever since. The developer has been working tirelessly on the game, providing regular updates on his Tumblr and TIGForums, and XenoRaptor has only gotten bigger and better over the weeks. This is a game best seen in motion so I hope you don't mind some excessive use of GIFs.
Doubling the amount of enemies and bullets onscreen, allowing for even more chaos and making explosive weaponry more effective
Title: Heart & Slash
Developer: aheartfulofgames
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Dec 2014
---
Back in October, I previewed Heart & Slash, a promising game I had found on TIGForums. Better yet, it even had a playable alpha and while still early, the 3D roguelike brawler's promise and potential was evident. Now the game is on Steam Greenlight and recently launched a Kickstarter.
From the early alpha, the core mechanic's proved fun and filled with potential, as you executed fast paced combos with a variety of weapons. In the time since, a plethora of content has been added to the game: powerful new weapons from boxing gloves and brass knuckles to the cleaver and the decimating particle gun, new enemies and myriad variants such as rocket-firing Heavy Lifters and chainsaw-wielding BigGrunts to the aerial Flybots and agile NimbleBots, more body parts, and an improved tutorial.
Developer: aheartfulofgames
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Dec 2014
---
Back in October, I previewed Heart & Slash, a promising game I had found on TIGForums. Better yet, it even had a playable alpha and while still early, the 3D roguelike brawler's promise and potential was evident. Now the game is on Steam Greenlight and recently launched a Kickstarter.
From the early alpha, the core mechanic's proved fun and filled with potential, as you executed fast paced combos with a variety of weapons. In the time since, a plethora of content has been added to the game: powerful new weapons from boxing gloves and brass knuckles to the cleaver and the decimating particle gun, new enemies and myriad variants such as rocket-firing Heavy Lifters and chainsaw-wielding BigGrunts to the aerial Flybots and agile NimbleBots, more body parts, and an improved tutorial.
Heart & Slash is planned to released in December; you can learn more about the game's development on TIGForums, vote on Steam Greenlight, and support it on Kickstarter.
Title: Broforce
Developer: Free Lives
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
---
I first covered Broforce back in August; it had actually been my first impulse buy and since then, it's become my most played game besides Overgrowth. The hectic over-the-top ode to beloved action movie heroes has made huge progress since then, now being published by Devolver Digital and set to release on Steam Early Access next month
Developer: Free Lives
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
---
I first covered Broforce back in August; it had actually been my first impulse buy and since then, it's become my most played game besides Overgrowth. The hectic over-the-top ode to beloved action movie heroes has made huge progress since then, now being published by Devolver Digital and set to release on Steam Early Access next month
But the gameplay, the wild premise, and awesome heroes is what defines Broforce and those regards, the game has expanded greatly. Popular heroes such as Neo, Boondock Brothers, Machete, and Conan have joined the roster. New environments and effects have added variety and diversity, from the rain-drenched city, vents to sneak through, elevators to crash, pipelines to explode, sand to collapse, dynamic weather, and more. Multiplayer has improved, with new modes like Explosion run and now the official addition of online gameplay in the latest update. And at its core, the fast challenging gameplay remains as fun as ever, as you raze environments to the ground, reduce enemies to blood stains, and plan the best approach to kill everything.
Title: Door Kickers
Developer: Killhouse Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
---
When I first reviewed Door Kickers in August, the game had just been Greenlit on Steam and while still in Alpha, was very playable and great fun. The game has come a long way since those summer impressions and only continues to improve. Like Prison Architect, it's the kind of Early Access game where every update feels significant and game-changing.
The recent Alpha 7 release was Door Kicker's biggest overhauls, offering a plethora of additions and improvements. The visuals and animations have been enhanced and improved greatly; the enemy AI is smarter and mobile, allowing for those wonderful "Oh crap!" moments when an enemy walks in on your team as it prepares to breach. Trooper classes have been added, from assault to breachers to the suppressed weapons-wielding stealth troopers. New maps and mission types have been added, a mission generator provides extra challenge if the other missions aren't enough, and the whole planning interface has been fine tuned.
These additions have made Door Kickers even more fun and satisfying than before, and the game will only be getting bigger in the coming months, with non-lethal options, snipers, shields, and more planned for the next Alpha. Better yet, the success of the game means multiplayer and co-op a definite addition to the developer's to-do list, but those additions will be coming at some undetermined point in the future.
You can purchase Door Kickers from the developer's site or on Steam.
Developer: Killhouse Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
---
When I first reviewed Door Kickers in August, the game had just been Greenlit on Steam and while still in Alpha, was very playable and great fun. The game has come a long way since those summer impressions and only continues to improve. Like Prison Architect, it's the kind of Early Access game where every update feels significant and game-changing.
You can purchase Door Kickers from the developer's site or on Steam.
Title: Interstellaria
Developer: Coldrice Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Releasing late 2014
---
When I first previewed Interstellaria in November, it was still early in development, with a demo and a Kickstarter that was just gaining momentum. Now, the successfully funded space sandbox has entered alpha, and the progress since that early demo is evident and promising.
Developer: Coldrice Games
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Releasing late 2014
---
When I first previewed Interstellaria in November, it was still early in development, with a demo and a Kickstarter that was just gaining momentum. Now, the successfully funded space sandbox has entered alpha, and the progress since that early demo is evident and promising.
The pixel art is just as vibrant as before, but the gameplay has been fleshed out and improved. Interstellaria could be best described as FTL mixed with an action platformer and deeper crew mechanics. Like FTL, you'll travel the galaxy in your precious ship, gather crew, assign jobs, and deal with hostile ships as you travel from planet to planet. Managing your various systems and power levels for each is as critical as repairing damage that threatens to depressurize and destroy your vessel.
However that's only one facet of Interstellaria. Once you reach your destination, you can drop to the surface and explore. But planets offer more than exploration. Armed with a variety of weaponry and gear, you'll need to platform around alien planets, defeat hostile lifeforms, and discover secrets and new locations. This mix of ship simulation and action-focused exploration makes Interstellaria already fun to play, even in alpha, and thanks to the success on Kickstarter, only more worlds and aliens species will be available to find and explore as Interstellaria continues to grow. You can follow the game's development on the developer's site or TIGForums and vote for it on Steam Greenlight.
Title: Rain World
Developers: Joar Jakobsson, James Primate
Platforms: PC, Mac
---
I've shared screenshots of Rain World before and discussed the game back in October. It's a game I've been followed for a while and since that preview last year, it has made great progress.
Considering some of the games I've previewed and reviewed in the past, it's easy to see why I'm eagerly anticipating Rain World. Set in an abandoned world overgrown by nature and hammered by rain storms, you play as a slugcat in this hostile landscape, where you must gather food, hunt prey, and evade the ruthless predators doing the same. I've been impressed by its atmospheric pixel art, intelligent AI, and emphasis on stealth and survival since I first saw the game, but it's the gameplay that has grown in the past months. Multiplayer modes (which are also playable solo ala Samuri Gunn) have been added and honed, enemy AI has been improved, and subtle narrative elements have been weaved into the game. It's optional, but now you'll stumble upon small cubs in one of the shelters throughout the game; do you care for them, feed them? Abandon them? Protect them despite the greater danger to yourself?
After years in development, Rain World is finally set to release sometime in 2014. The game recently launched on Kickstarter, with potential additions including new and more intelligent enemies, a fleshed out single player campaign, and greater overall polish. You can follow Rain World's development on TIGForums and vote for the game on Steam Greenlight.
Developers: Joar Jakobsson, James Primate
Platforms: PC, Mac
---
I've shared screenshots of Rain World before and discussed the game back in October. It's a game I've been followed for a while and since that preview last year, it has made great progress.
Considering some of the games I've previewed and reviewed in the past, it's easy to see why I'm eagerly anticipating Rain World. Set in an abandoned world overgrown by nature and hammered by rain storms, you play as a slugcat in this hostile landscape, where you must gather food, hunt prey, and evade the ruthless predators doing the same. I've been impressed by its atmospheric pixel art, intelligent AI, and emphasis on stealth and survival since I first saw the game, but it's the gameplay that has grown in the past months. Multiplayer modes (which are also playable solo ala Samuri Gunn) have been added and honed, enemy AI has been improved, and subtle narrative elements have been weaved into the game. It's optional, but now you'll stumble upon small cubs in one of the shelters throughout the game; do you care for them, feed them? Abandon them? Protect them despite the greater danger to yourself?
Title: Frog Sord
Developer: Mech6
Platforms: PC
---
I first previewed Frog Sord back in November, where it was well into development. Recently the developers sent out an early playable alpha and I was able to finally play the game.
The alpha contains a handful of levels in the first forest area, a good 30 minutes to an hour of content. While there is no sound effects or music yet, the gameplay itself feels solid. The controls couldn't be simpler: arrow key to move, Z to jump, X to slash with your sword (sord?). In the framework, Mech6 has crafted a fun experience that feels reminiscent of Dustforce's mix of platforming and combat. But while Dustforce was focused on pixel-perfect speed runs, Frog Sord is slower paced but no less enjoyable. Even at this early stage, the game is fun and dashing between spikes and chaining together attacks with aerial maneuvering is quite satisfying. The pixel art and character design of the titular Frog gives the game character and a style all its own. The levels presented a nice difficulty curve, introducing moves and more complex uses of your abilities at a good pace, and only left me eager to see how the game will continue to develop and grow
The developers are hard at work, considering player feedback, and working on new areas. As seen in the GIF above, upcoming areas will introduce new hazards like collapsing platforms and new enemies to test your skills. You can follow Frog Sord's progress on its TIGForums devlog and the developer's site.
Developer: Mech6
Platforms: PC
---
I first previewed Frog Sord back in November, where it was well into development. Recently the developers sent out an early playable alpha and I was able to finally play the game.
The alpha contains a handful of levels in the first forest area, a good 30 minutes to an hour of content. While there is no sound effects or music yet, the gameplay itself feels solid. The controls couldn't be simpler: arrow key to move, Z to jump, X to slash with your sword (sord?). In the framework, Mech6 has crafted a fun experience that feels reminiscent of Dustforce's mix of platforming and combat. But while Dustforce was focused on pixel-perfect speed runs, Frog Sord is slower paced but no less enjoyable. Even at this early stage, the game is fun and dashing between spikes and chaining together attacks with aerial maneuvering is quite satisfying. The pixel art and character design of the titular Frog gives the game character and a style all its own. The levels presented a nice difficulty curve, introducing moves and more complex uses of your abilities at a good pace, and only left me eager to see how the game will continue to develop and grow
