Space Revolver Launches on Kickstarter, Etc.

Recently launched Kickstarter Space Revolver touts itself as “neo-noir cyberpunk space cowboy action,” featuring 2-4 online play and local multiplayer. But what I think excites me most about this 2D action platformer is perhaps the most revolution feature of all: “etc.”

I don’t want to be too hard on developer Moonfall Games, seemingly a one man team created by James Beans, but putting “etc” on your main page Kickstarter profile isn’t a great idea.

What do those three letters mean in terms of the game? Space Revolver was influenced by Towerfall, Samurai Gunn and even Mega Man X. Originally intended to be a multiplayer online game, the idea evolved into an expansive single player platformer.

What Space Revolver has going for it are a couple of unique new ideas added to those previously mentioned games. The first of which are the Booster Boots, which are essentially jetpacks glued to your feet. Unlike many 2D platformers with a similar mechanic, you can use these boots to fly through the whole level, or chain multiple boosts and dashes together to perform mid-air combos and takedowns.

There’s also an MS Paint style character creator that lets you design your own player character. The example given is a certain anime protagonist rendered in 8-bit. You’re not limited to a series of pre-made assets though, you can literally draw whatever you want. That’s probably going to be penises for a lot of players, but it’s nice to have your options available.

Another thing I like is that in story cutscenes and dialog sections, you can pull your gun out at any time and shoot the person you’re talking to in the face.

This seems to be the developer’s first commercial game, which is always cause for concern. A previous build of Space Revolver did win the Taco Bell Indie Garage Award in 2015, which is apparently a thing. The developer does have a sense of humor about it, saying “Space Revolver has also won the most prestigious of all awards!”

There is a pie graph detailing what the funds will be allocated to, but the chart does given any percentages, so it’s hard to say exactly how much money will be going where. Beans does say however that he needs to hire an animator, and he has his eyes set on composer Francisco Cerda, who previously worked on Gunpoint.

I definitely see potential in this project, though I wouldn’t blame anyone who’s feeling gun shy about backing a developer with so little experience. It brought in over $1,000 in its first day, but funding has steadily dropped since then, and it’s still a long way from its $15,000 goal.

Space Revolver, if funded, will launch December 2016.