In a surprising announcement, indie developer Pigeons at Play and publisher Devolver Digital have revealed their upcoming game, Mycopunk. This four-player, first-person shooter takes place on a planet overrun by an invasive, violent fungus. Players take on the roles of eccentric robots hired by an intergalactic megacorporation to exterminate the fungal threat.
Each robot in Mycopunk has a specific class and moveset, but players can use any weapon or loadout with any character. The game features a wide array of wacky guns, upgrades, and ammo options, such as bouncing shotgun pellets, bullets that hover in place and dive down when triggered, and a rocket launcher that also provides flight. Customization is a key aspect of the game, with approximately 40 upgrades available for each weapon and unique skill enhancements for every robot.
The spatial upgrade system allows players to activate abilities by placing molecular strands on a honeycomb grid, combining effects in powerful and amusing ways. The main gameplay loop involves gathering your team, setting mission modifiers, and dropping onto the planet to kill hordes of massive, tentacled fungus monsters. Each run requires players to accomplish corporate-directed goals, collect resources for future upgrades, and survive waves of monstrous onslaughts.
Intergalactic fungal firefights
Between missions, players can explore a vast hub world packed with surreal touches, including a giant TV screen that only shows a sitcom about roaches. All abilities are unlocked in the hub for free testing, alongside vehicles, a sparring area, a recreation sphere, snack machines, and secret passageways.
Visually, Pigeons at Play drew inspiration from the style of Moebius, offering a gritty, hand-drawn vibe that makes the game look like a living graphic novel. The blend of retrofuturism with sleek mechanics creates a rich, tactile experience reminiscent of Rollerdrome. Mycopunk is filled with cute touches born from the developers‘ love of co-op shooters.
For instance, reviving a teammate requires finding and reconnecting two halves of their broken robot body, rather than simply pressing a button. Each character also has unique dance moves, and one upgrade allows players to move a swarm of bullets through the air like a murderous orchestra conductor. A demo for Mycopunk is now live, with the game set to enter early access later this year.
With its unique setting, engaging gameplay, and charming touches, Mycopunk is shaping up to be a standout title in the ever-growing extraction-shooter genre.
Image Credits: Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash
Cameron is a highly regarded contributor in the rapidly evolving fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. His articles delve into the theoretical underpinnings of AI, the practical applications of machine learning across industries, ethical considerations of autonomous systems, and the societal impacts of these disruptive technologies.
