Today we are pleased to announce that our rogue-lite twin stick snatch, zap and shoot ‘em up, HyperParasite, has launched on Steam Early Access, just ahead of its appearance at EGX Rezzed in London tomorrow, as part of the Unreal Showcase.
Exciting Early Access Features:
Unique twist on the genre: jump from one host body to another
Dozens of different playable character classes
3 main levels and 4 sub levels
10 different mini-bosses
3 deranged main bosses
Unique retro 3D-pixelated aesthetic
Procedurally generated levels that will challenge even the most seasoned of players
Two HyperParasites means twice the fun! Co-op mode: how will the humans handle double the threat?
In HyperParasite, it's the dude you control that is packed with the boom, no more scrabbling for weaponry and panicking at a boss encounter. With 60 different characters to take control of, players may snatch the best host body for the scenario and kick butt!
We can't wait to hear what you think and look forward to welcome you to our Discord community!
The Big January 2019 Pre-Alpha Update
Happy New Year HyperParasite fans!
Over the last couple of months the Troglobytes Team have been hard at work making some significant changes to the HyperParasite Pre-Alpha.
You'll now get to experience the the full first act of HyperParasite which includes 3 different levels and a boss fight! That's around two hours of game play waiting for you.
Check out the below for a full rundown of what is new and what has been tweaked etc. Be warned, it's a lot ːsteamhappyː
Change List:
Parasite Attack:
There is now a clear distinction between the Possession phase and the Parasite Attack.
The Player can choose anytime if he wants to damage/destroy enemies/props or possess a new Host Body.
Combo System:
A brand new Combo System has been implemented.
The Parasite’s bloodthirst will increase as it goes full killing-spree.
There are 4 Combo Levels: the Host Body will become a slightly stronger with each level.
Upgrades:
It is now possible to increase both Parasite and Host Body’s stats during a run using different upgrades that are scattered through the game levels.
Upgrades come in different flavours: Parasite Lives, Attack & Defence.
In Co-Op matches, upgrades allow for revival of a dead Parasite
Parasite-Host Body Affinity:
The Parasite can now possess only compatible Character Classes.
Affinity with a particular Character Class can be acquired in a special room inside the Shop.
Each run starts with a random Host Body picked from the currently compatible Character Classes.
Items & Skills:
Different items and skills have been implemented and can now be found around the game levels.
Items and skills are dropped by enemies/destructible props, or can be purchased in the shop.
Collectibles (i.e., special items) have been implemented.
DoT (damage over time) Effects:
The implementation of 5 different DoT effects is now complete. These include Fire, Poison, Lightning, Frost and Bleed.
Each DoT can affect both Players and AI.
The implementation of all the immunities is now complete. Immunities allow a particular entity (Player/AI) immunity to a specific DoT.
DoT can affect weapons, character classes, special attacks and traps.
Thematic Rooms:
There are now different theme based rooms that will ensure a different gameplay experience every time a player starts a new run.
The Player will encounter different kinds of threats including enemies, minions, traps and more.
Progression System & Dynamic Game Levels:
Levels will now adapt to the Player’s progression including:
The number of rooms per level, number and type of enemies.
The Progression System will allow to explore previously inaccessible levels and mechanics.
To enjoy the updates to the Pre-Alpha, you will first need to delete your old save file. You can do this by following the steps below:
> Go to your Steam client's Library tab
> Right-click on HyperParasite
> Choose Properties
> Go to the Local Files tab
> Click on Browse Local Files
> Go into HyperParasite directory
> Delete the Saved directory
We can't wait to hear what you all think. So jump on over to either the Steam Discussion forum or Discord and let us know.
HyperParasite Kickstarter campaign and new Pre-Alpha build!
It’s a been a while since we updated you all, but we’re here now with a ton of exciting news and updates to share.
Yesterday we launched our Kickstarter campaign for HyperParasite!
The current version of HyperParasite is the result of one and a half years of our own blood, sweat and tears poured into the project. We invested all we had into this project because we think that players will love it as much as we do.
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We’re looking to raise a modest $29,000, and by helping us fund this Kickstarter campaign you will not only supports us in completing the game, but you will also get to join us as you follow the development process, while also gaining access to some exclusive rewards!
We also have a number of limited Early Bird tiers, so don’t miss out!
Want to try before you back us? Well if you’re up to the challenge you can try the Pre-Alpha Windows build of HyperParasite! This build will allow you to playone full level as well as take on a crazy Boss fight that will test your skills.
Find the Pre-Alpha here on Steam and get ready to Snatch. Zap. Repeat.
We'd love to hear what you think of this early Pre-Alpha build, so head on over and join us on Discord: https://t.co/3n1K6CkDcX
This is where you can talk with fans, members of the development team and our publishing partner, Hound Picked Games.
Back in September we announced we were thrilled to have signed with indie game publisher; Hound Picked Games. You can learn more about Hound Picked Games on their website, including more about other top quality indie games they are launching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5eL5yKc0Q4
We can’t wait to hear what you think of the Pre-Alpha, and we’d love your support on Kickstarter.
You are the organism with a mission. You are… HyperParasite.
HyperParasite Kickstarter & Public Pre-Alpha
Hey HyperParasite fans,
We're super hyped to let you know that you can now download our Pre-Alpha here on Steam. Just hit the 'Download Demo' button on the store page to get hands on. Of course, we'd love to hear your feedback so head on over to either the Discussion Forums here on Steam or join us on Discord.
But that's not all!
We're launching our Kickstarter campaign on the 10/10/2018! That’s just six days away.
Check out http://www.hyperparasite.com/kickstarter/ for more information. If you’re not already doing so, make sure to follow us on Twitter for our countdown and regular updates.
HyperParasite Discord server
HyperParasite's Discord server is up and running!
Come join us and chat about all things HyperParasite:
http://discord.gg/XgZkz6X
The Parasite Has Officially Infected Our Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Many months has it been since HyperParasite inaugurated New Year’s with a developer log and while you/we may have dreaded the long list of features that needed implementing at the time, here’s your first look at a very different beast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OoJqiWJP5Y
Indeed it’s been more than a month since the game’s official trailer debuted, bringing along with it an all-new preview of HyperParasite proper and one of its primary narrative characters – President Ray Gunn.
We’ll leave the latter to his expletives for now but first, let’s quickly recapitulate our six-month progress shall we?
Chinese Take-Out
Whereas the prototype comprised but the single procedurally generated level of Downtown, the core of HyperParasite’s graphical setting and game-play mechanics, Acts I and II of V are fully functional.
In contrast with the first Act’s many mini-bosses, re-written Boss fight we fondly like to call Double Trouble and several sub-levels of the Sewer variety included upon the original gritty Downtown design, Act II’s Asia Town might seem like a nicer place to be.
In between the cozy oriental neon lighting and secret sub-levels called Bowels of Asia and The Underground Temple however we doubt you’ll be stopping for some chow-mein.
A Different Beast
New environments call for new enemies, and so our artists have kept ahead of the programmers in completing designs of every character, boss and mini-boss you’ll encounter across either of HyperParasite’s five acts.
The programmers meanwhile have refactored the original mechanics for both Acts I and II, which means that while HyperParasite still operates in classic twin-stick, top-down fashion, everything else feels, looks, and is very different.
Taking into account the mixed criticism with regards to offered difficulty, are improved controls for ranged/melee combat, smarter enemy tactics, special attacks for each, skill upgrades for your parasite and the ability to dodge-roll.
If eventually none of that works for you however, we’re even considering the release of a specialized Mod Tool alongside HyperParasite’s forthcoming early access builds to tweak its difficulty statistics as per your needs.
About Those Degenerates
Evidently including 60+ character classes within your rogue-lite SHMUP comes poses its own set of problems. Do we let players body snatch any other character classes as and when encountered? Or must character classes be ‘unlocked’ in some manner before players can body hop mid-combat without repercussions?
We’ve decided to opt for the former for now albeit with a catch. Every new character that the parasite snatches for the first time will be subject to degeneration, meaning their HP will progressively dwindle until it reaches a value of one, where it stays until a stray bullet ends the host’s body and boots the parasite into free space.
Providing players with only a limited window to make use of a newly encountered character’s abilities then, the parasite itself has been made susceptible to single hits and consequent permadeath. This is to overemphasize HyperParasite’s hardcore parasitic nature and to prevent players from illogically free-roaming outside a host’s body.
Shopping For Eggs
Given that, how does one reasonably unlock a character class and prevent degeneration? Eggs.
Yes eggs, that players can lay into the heads of the deceased characters they may have encountered for the first time. Successfully doing so within the time provided allows for the eggs to hatch and release a parasitic relative that follows the player across the Acts.
These relatives can then be led into designated areas wherefrom the original host’s DNA may be extracted, and the corresponding character class unlocked for good. As for the areas themselves, those are to be situated in Shops located within each level where players may also choose to barter in items, skills and equipment upgrades.
Switch To Xbox!
We’re just as thrilled as you are; HyperParasite has not only been approved by Microsoft’s ID@Xbox but a Nintendo Switch dev-kit has been delivered to and successfully runs this top-down shooter at our office.
As is the nature of these things however we still don’t have a definite release date; a Q1-Q2 2019 looks most likely. HyperParasite is designed to be highly modular and with our programmers now moving towards Acts III, IV and V, the plan forward entails the iterative inclusion of new game-play material into the existing build.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIIPqE9XnU4
-- Troglobytes
Year two in the HyperParasite chapter of Troglobytes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT0Btpx5Rpg
Shortly after moving the HyperParasite prototype on its own development branch at the end of 2017, much of its code, features and sub-mechanics were refactored towards production of the full game.
This resulted not only in a finalization of its core graphical style and game-play mechanics over the holidays, but has also commenced a new stage of content creation for the final HyperParasite build inclusive of -
60+ different characters derived from the two macro Melee/Ranged classes
5 bosses and an unnumbered amount of special characters each of unique abilities and attacks
dozens of items, skills and upgrades to equip
13 unique yet procedurally-generated levels to tackle
Contrast this with the 8 playable characters, the single procedurally-generated level (inclusive of a secret level & other hidden items) that the prototype offered and yes, it does seem like a lot of work ahead.
Crucial to implementing each of these however is first acknowledging two very major flaws that cropped up in our design process of 2017. The first being that of -
Fine-Tuning
Admittedly in preparing the prototype for its multiple event appearances, the myriad of parameters that dynamically work to shape HyperParasite's gameplay were ignored.
Consequently, player have found it to be either too easy or too hard with no specific middle ground, leading us to develop custom in-house tools to better address the issue.
Thankfully with our designer now able to iteratively tweak HyperParasite's parameters during active game-play, much of our efforts are centered on fine-tuning each of the existing/upcoming character classes and procedurally generated events to create a more uniform experience.
A Much-Needed Lesson in Rogue-Like
In addition, HyperParasite is intended to be more than a classic top-down shooter and while this top-down nature is fundamental to its enjoyment, several of its rogue-like specific features were overlooked by players in the prototype owing to the lack of a tutorial.
This has convinced us of including a full-fledged tutorial level in the complete game, allowing for users to truly appreciate the rogue-like inspired nuances we've worked hard on implementing.
Free Roaming
Sending out the prototype to investors/publishers over the holidays has yielded its fair share of valuable feedback, and yet none of that helped when one well-established publishing label quipped -- “Well, the game is called 'HyperParasite', but where's the parasite in the prototype?”
This encouraged us to not only dramatize the parasite’s physical appearance but has also had us revisit its body-snatching characteristics.
Now specifically, where the prototype forces the parasite into the nearest host’s body upon the current host’s death, HyperParasite proper will allow for players to leave a host’s body and free-roam as the organism at will.
Being killed without the active body of a host to thrive on will, however, still cause perma-death (read: Game Over).
Players might be able to leverage skills/upgrades to enhance the parasite’s chances of survival in this vulnerable state, but even this will require a substantial commitment to exploring levels for secrets and related unlockables.
An Improved Audio-Visual Experience
Positive reception towards the prototype’s graphical style and Mr. Reeves’ score is really what’s helped affirm HyperParasite’s audio-visual personality, seeing how players across various age groups have come to recognize its throwback to the classic console titles of the 1990’s.
So much so, that the prototype’s Downtown level will most definitely be making its way to the final game as is (save for some added details/secrets for good measure), existing character designs have been bolstered in physical appearance, pixel-art mugshots and animations, while the main menu has received a complete makeover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGY1z76BG_M
Also noticeable in the attached media snippets of the above are a fully-functional co-operative game-play system, new level designs and ruthless body-snatching.
Release
Given current progress at this point and the close-knit nature of our team, we’re not only confident of meeting our planned 2019 release for HyperParasite proper but are even considering the release of a vertical slice by the end of the year.
This new playable build will be a more honest representation of the complete rogue-like SHMUP, although its release on Steam Early Access or similar will ultimately depend on the strategies of publishers/investors we might potentially partner with.
HyperParasite’s social media channels and dev-log will continue to be littered with progress regardless, which we continue to monitor along with the prototype’s threads for any new player feedback.
A perma-death defying trip through the 1980's, now in active development by Troglobytes Games.
What is HyperParasite?
A top-down, rogue-like shoot 'em up/brawler at its core, HyperParasite pays homage to an era that we at Troglobytes Games consider ourselves heavily influenced by; the absurd, pop-culture ridden decade of the 1980s.
Never mind the fact that our office's walls are still plastered with cheesy posters and that we own an original 80's arcade cabinet, HyperParasite attempts to be every bit preposterous while retaining the hard-core nature of the gaming industry's third generation.
Set in an alternate-history, dystopian model of the decade, HyperParasite follows a body-snatching organism's quest for global domination. Needless to say, you play humanity's deadliest adversary.
Persistent wit and dexterity is demanded with multiple character classes to body-snatch, host-specific abilities to exploit and a skill-based progression system to overcome.
HyperParasite takes its rogue-like mechanics very seriously. Procedurally generated levels, multiple game-play objectives, grueling waves of enemies, deranged bosses and perma-death make it nigh-impossible to beat in a single run.
All while our in-house dungeon-generation technology, Vania, ensures the seamless randomization of visuals, sub-levels & secrets.
Too intense, agreed. Which is why HyperParasite will also feature local co-operative multiplayer, letting you cherish its characters, urban legends, items and pop-culture references with a mullet-wielding friend.
Release Plans
While we do not have a definite release date set in stone yet, HyperParasite is being prepared for a Q2 2019 launch on Steam. Console versions will follow.
HyperParasite's structure and core mechanics is such that it allows us to expand and iterate on the game content (procedurally generated levels, 60+ unlockable character classes, items, powers, skills, etc.), which in turn provides for plenty of publishing options.
We're yet to decide upon the best option for the project.
Meanwhile
We intend to place a greater emphasis on community development with regards to HyperParasite.
If you want to stay up to date with all things HyperParasite, consider following our social media channels:
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