The last few years have been pretty quiet for Bit Kid, but this year we finally broke the silence with the announcement of our next title, WOLFHOUND. It may have seemed like it came out of nowhere, but its been in the works for quite some time now. It was honestly a bit scary to secretly work on something for so long, not knowing whether anyone would be interested in it when it was finally announced, but thankfully, the overwhelmingly positive response from you all and the world put that lingering sense of dread to rest. Now we can march towards the finish line with the confidence that were on the right track! The announcement trailer did a great job of getting across what WOLFHOUND is and how it plays, but I thought Id take a moment in this update to focus on a few key design decisions and gameplay details that may not have been so obvious.

WORLD

While Ive been striving to make each area of WOLFHOUND distinct, my goal was for it to feel like one massive, seamless locale. This meant the entire island, from the snowy mountain peaks at the top to the lava-filled chasms at the bottom, needed to fit on a single map. There are some other changes in this game as well to further enhance that feeling of interconnectedness, such as the camera panning smoothly between rooms as you explore, and no transition or loading screens between areas.

GAMEPLAY

Contravania was a humorous (yet endearing!) term we often saw used to describe the game when the trailer was released. And while the military themes and weapons do call Contra to mind, the primary influence on everything from the art style to the gameplay was the mother of all Metroidvania games: the original Metroid on NES. Like Metroid, the pacing in WOLFHOUND is much more deliberate than a typical run n gun game. The limited reach of your weapons, the reloading mechanic, and the intentional lack of diagonal firing all require you to carefully approach each encounter.

ARSENAL

You begin your mission with only a standard-issue handgun and your trusty combat knife, but as you explore the island, you will soon build a powerful arsenal. There are three main types of weapons to find: Sidearms, Rifles, and Explosives. Only one of each can be equipped at a time, and each type has its own distinct advantages. For example, Sidearms typically have shorter reach and less punch than Rifles, but have the benefit of unlimited ammo. Also, keep an eye out for the Armory rooms found throughout the world that allow you to change your loadout, refill ammo, and upgrade your arsenal with Weapon Kits you find off the beaten path.

WRAP UP

And thats it for this year! Weve gone heads down on developing WOLFHOUND, but will have further updates to share throughout 2025. If you have any more questions or thoughts, please let me know, and Ill consider them for a future update. And as always, thanks again for all your support. We hope you have a great holiday season, and well see you in 2025!

[ 2024-12-20 21:51:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

[previewyoutube=iWprFF0A-io;full][/previewyoutube] When a clandestine NAZI BASE is discovered in the otherworldly heart of the BERMUDA TRIANGLE, theres only one soldier for the job Capt. Chuck WOLFHOUND Rossetti, a wise-cracking, one-man army who never leaves a pal behind, is no stranger to war but his war is about to get stranger. After an Allied vessel vanishes, Chuck is deployed to infiltrate an uncharted island, discover the enemys secrets, and bring our boys home. Yet this evil, shrouded island has other plans. Pitted against the stuff of nightmares mutant insects, zombies, and other twisted creations of a mad Axis scientist Chuck finds himself on an eerie, perilous mission unlike any hes faced before. VENTURE FORTH INTO THE ISLAND, scavenging for weapons and ammo to dispatch the Axis soldiers and monsters that grow more grotesque and dangerous the further WOLFHOUND goes. Unveil the sinister experiments of Dr. Steiner, and turn his tech against him. Feel the unbridled power of the railgun. Reach new heights with the jetpack. Lace up gravity boots to traverse new areas, where castles pierce the sky and crystal caverns veil wicked, fascinating mysteries. . .
After more than 200,000 recruits ventured into the procedurally-generated depths of Chasm, Bit Kid sought to return to the Metroidvania genre, while eschewing procedural generation in favor of a single, intricately-designed world. Bit Kid brought together artistic talent behind the Shantae series, Freedom Planet 2, and Sparklite along with a heroic chiptune soundtrack courtesy of musician RushJet1 (Cave Story+, Alwas Legacy, PewDiePies Tuber Simulator).
While Ive always been a big fan of retro games and pixel art, I really wanted to dive deep into the style of NES and 8-bit gaming, said James Petruzzi, founder and lead developer at Bit Kid. Were aiming to be as authentic as possible, stylistically: an 8-bit color palette, 320180 pixel resolution, and a soundtrack composed in Famitracker which has enabled homebrewers to create authentic NES music for many years. WOLFHOUND will release on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Steam for PC and Steam Deck. For more information, follow Bit Kid on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and join the official Bit Kid Discord server.

[ 2024-06-08 04:14:18 CET ] [ Original post ]