The Watchlist: Rise & Shine

Title: Rise & Shine
Developer: Super Mega Team
Platforms: PC, Consoles
Mid 2016
---

Think of a more arcadey Another World, also with a very tight relationship between gameplay and story

In a word of game characters and digital threats, you're the only hope. Wielding the powerful handcannon Shine, young Rise must venture out into the war-ravaged landscapes and destroy enemy hordes and towering bosses in the upcoming Rise & Shine.

Rise & Shine is a side-scrolling mix of action and puzzles, as you take cover, blow away your enemies, and explore a world of game characters and tropes. The combat and exploration pops with color and charm, thanks to the game's vibrant hand-drawn artstyle.

I was able to try out a recent Rise & Shine press demo, showcasing an early level, and the blend of shooting and bullet-based puzzling was a fun and unique experience.

Combat in Rise & Shine is hectic but also deliberate. Cover shields you from projectiles, letting you time your shots and choose how to handle an encounter, which enemies to deal with first, and such. But it isn't all careful cover shooting; double-jumping and dashing around onslaughts of grenades, missiles, and sprays of bullets is just as important if you want to survive.

Your gun Shine isn't just useful offensively, but solving the game's puzzles as well. A wide array of bullet modifiers are available, from remote-controlled rounds to electric bullets that can disable robots and charge machinery, While those bullets allow you to take on enemies in different ways, they also allow for a variety of puzzle types. One challenge might have you weaving a bullet through remote-control fields to reach a button or hit hard-to-reach switches as you navigate gates

Rise & Shine already features satisfying gunplay and gorgeous art, and the mechanics have the potential for tricky puzzles and challenging bosses. You can learn about Rise & Shine on the game's site and TIGSource devlog.