The Watchlist: Indivisible

Title: Indivisible
Developer: Lab Zero Games
Platforms:PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
Releasing 2018
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Indivisible is a side-scrolling RPG in the vein of Valkyrie Profile, spanning a huge fantasy world inspired by our own world’s various cultures and mythologies

Lab Zero's Skullgirls was a gorgeous fighter with incredible hand-drawn animations, and now they're applying that artistic approach and polish to the RPG genre, with their next project Indivisible.

Indivisible follows young Ajna on her journey to learn the truth behind both a devastating attack on her home and a mysterious mystical ability awakened within her. Ajna's quest will take her across the globe, through lands inspired by Japanese, Central American, and other mythologies and architecture.

Indivisible is split between two types of gameplay. Exploration revolves around Metroidvania-esque platforming, as you wall-jump and dash through towns, temples, and other varied locations. As you progress, Ajna will gather new items and skills to traverse the environments in new ways, from clambering up walls with your axe to swinging across gaps with a rope dart.

But you're not the only one roaming these locations; dangerous enemies lurk as well. Running into them or getting attacks seamlessly shifts the gameplay to Valkyrie Profile-inspired combat. Ajna has the ability to absorb special individuals and manifest them as incarnations in battle.

From the master archer Zebei to the sword whip-wielding Tungar, you'll be able to fight alongside three companions, each tied to a face button. Like a fighting game, combat features combos and specials, blending each incarnation's moves to stun, slow, and damage your foes. Lab Zero's signature art style brings those battles and locations to life with beautiful details and fluid animations.

Indivisible is slated for release in 2018 and is currently seeking funds on Indiegogo. You can support the game, and download the surprisingly lengthy and incredibly polished prototype, here.

The Watchlist: Kromaia

Title: Kromaia

Developer: Kraken Empire

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux

Releasing 2014

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KROMAIA is a six degrees of freedom adventure shooter which takes action, speed, agility and immersion to a new level. Insane enemy patterns and swarms, giant god-like guardians, ancient temples, contraptions and treasures, visual ecstasy... All in a vast and unexplored universe only ruled by physic laws. What if the coin-op machines golden age started today, adding complex maneuverability abilities, encouraging spatial awareness, as well as an A.I. adapting to the way you play? Here is the chance to know.

Take your common dual stick shooter, take the hectic gameplay and hordes of enemies, place it in expansive worlds filled with intriguing abstract architect, and you'd have Kromaia.

Developed by Kraken Empire and currently seeking support on Indiegogo, Kromaia is a stylish arcade shooter that delivers both challenging frenetic gameplay and a visually exciting experience. Screenshots don't do this game justice. I recently had the opportunity to try a gameplay demo and while I had no idea what to expect going in, I finished the demo extremely satisfying and excited to see how the game will progress. You have a number of ships to choose from, with their own style and weapons. From the standard laser/shotgun blasting ship to the melee-focused/shuriken-throwing variety, each vessel plays differently and is animated with moving parts and other cool details.

The core of the gameplay is the frenetic shooting. Your ship is extremely maneuverable, able to roll and strafe with ease, and you need such agility to evade the moving hazards and dozens of enemies across each world. The battles shift from tight trench runs through tunnels and past rotating spikes to open shootouts with enemy ships while avoiding asteroids in an instant and you have to be adapt in an instant. The levels are huge and filled with an abstract mix of pillars, mechanical constructs, and other weird structures.

The full game will feature a deep customization mechanic, allowing you to alter everything from the shape and style of thrusters to the behavior and damage of your projectiles or even design and share your own enemies and bosses, as well as adaptive enemy AI that changes to counter your behavior. You can support Kromaia on Indiegogo and vote for the game on Steam Greenlight.