Hey all, we’ve got a huge update to talk about today. Here’s the short version:

We’ve greatly expanded the scope of the game, and added an element of free-roaming space exploration. This takes the form of what we’re calling “exploration zones”. You can try out a demo with this feature TODAY.

Here’s what this will look like in-game: You’ll choose your path through a more expansive galaxy map (each of the purple dots here is an exploration zone:

And then each area will be uniquely generated zone, with its own enemies, special events, friendly stations and ships, and lots of resources to collect.

Each zone has an exit portal, and you’ll need an Ion Core to make a jump. These are a scarce resource, so you’ll need to carefully plan your path through the map and watch for opportunities to collect more.

There are also planets on the galaxy map, each containing to a more traditional “on rails” levels that you’re already familiar with:


We couldn’t be more excited about this mix of free-roaming exploration and “trench run” style gameplay, and we’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

These exploration zones (like the rest of the game) are still in heavy development, but you can play the demo TODAY to get a sense of how the game will play. In the final version of the game, these zones will have more varieties of enemies, special events/quests, and lots more beautiful space scenery to fly around in.

Other developments:
The game also has a new “scrap” resource, which you can spend at “scrapper” ships that appear along your path.

You probably noticed the ship and the graphics have undergone a big upgrade!

We’ve been working with our artist Jin to come up with some new enemy and boss concepts – some of these will start to appear in the game soon.

We’ve also been working with the artist Spacegooose on imagining what the game could look like in a more hidef, graphic novel style. Check out this concept:

FAQ:
Q: Why the design change?
A: To put it simply – the game wasn’t living up to our idea of what a procedurally-generated roguelike shooter could be. We love space games, and this was an opportunity to make something that felt more expansive and dynamic.

Q: Is the game still an “On-rails shooter?”
A: The game will still have all of the “on rails” levels we had planned from the start – it just has exploration zones now too.

Q: Wait I thought you were making a Starfox homage? This looks pretty different from Starfox!
A: Believe it or not, it was never our goal to make a game that was derivative of Starfox. We love that game, but we’re drawing inspiration from a lot of other sources as well! We’re confident that fans of Starfox will love this new direction as well.

Q: Can I try it out?
A: Yes! we’re making a demo available today, and through the end of the Steam Fest next week. Just visit the game’s home page in the store. Give it a try, and use the feedback form in the game to let us know what you think!