"The Superfluous" [soo-pur-floo-uh s] A cave-diving, sci-fi, rogue-lite, platformer with jet packs and lots of explosions. Help stop an apocalyptic asteroid on collision course with Earth. Lead a squad to the center of the asteroid and blast it into space dust.
 

features

• Rogue - Levels are randomly generated and get progressively harder as the player progresses through them. The player's goal is to defeat a boss to unlock the next biome.
  
• Perma-Death - for the individual characters, but they are cloned back to level 0 and can be used for other missions.
  
• Perma-Progress - any upgrades the player purchases or any checkpoints the player reaches are saved. If a mission fails all loot will be lost. The player must decide to leave the dungeon and keep their loot or continue to the next level.
  
• Co-Op - Play the campaign with a friend in local co-op.
  
• Arena Mode - Challenge up to 3 of you friends in a 4 player local arena mode (WIP).
  
• Platformer - side scrolling 2D platformer. The main locomotion of the player is walking and using a jet-pack. Attacking is done in two to four directions (depending on the weapon equipped).
  
• Squad Based - Never journey alone! Bring along several squad mates with different tools and weapons to help you dive deeper. Balance your squad with miners, healers, heavy weaponry and explosives.
  
• Destructible Terrain - mine and blow your way through the level to collect gems, create a shortcut, or gain an advantage over your enemies.
  
• Progression - As squad member kill enemies and clear cave sectors they gain XP. When they gain enough XP the go up a level and a random perk is assigned. These will be lost on death and can be changed for gold back at base.
  
• Three Biomes - explore the 'Dark Cave', 'The Underwater', or the 'Lava' biomes on your quest to save the world.
  
• Economy - Loot can be obtained in the form of Gold and Gems. Gold is used to buy new crew DNA (unlock characters) and re-rolling perks. Gems are used to upgrade your gear, the number of people in your squad, the starting health of characters, etc.
  
• Story - a fun, light story about the impending destruction of earth, bureaucracy, the military and sci-fi culture.
  
• Local CO-OP - 2 (shooting for 4) player local multiplayer. A holo-deck 'arena' is planned to add death-match gameplay.
  
• Controller Support - This game was designed for both keyboard/mouse and controller support.
  
• Sci-Fi - I love reading all types of science fiction {Asimov, Niven, Heinlein, Card, Howey, Clark, Wells, etc.} and have always tried to include that genre in my games.

 

the story

All games should have a story. A story can motivate and inspire or just be something fun and entertaining. In The Superfluous, we are shooting for the later. I know, I know, Indie games should make us feel something to be 'successful' (or so it seems to me nowadays); and we enjoy games with really in-depth emotional stories... but sometimes we all just want to laugh and blow stuff up.

The year is 2121. Scientists have discovered an asteroid (BAR-101), half the size of the moon, on a collision course with Earth. Normally this would cause great distress for the people of Earth, but because this asteroid will not make impact for another 1,000 years, most deem it as not important. Although there remain a few people that are concerned(a fringe political group formally called Republicans). To appease this minority group, the government of Earth spent billions of dollars to send a space shuttle to BAR-101. The shuttle crew’s mission is to place a Zero-Point-Energy bomb at the center of the asteroid and destroy it before it reaches Earth.

The shuttle, your shuttle, is named “The UWN Superfluous”. This ship is equipped with state of the art cloning technology, in case you or your crew is met with an unfortunate end before the mission is complete. New crew DNA profiles are available for purchase in exchange for any valuable metal (gold) found on BAR-101.*

Your ship also has a research lab to upgrade your equipment using any minerals available. Though please note the upgrades are super expensive and don’t really make your gear that much more effective.

Your crew will be equipped with our most advanced environmental suits and super sweet jet packs to help them navigate through BAR-101’s many caves, chasms, crevices, crooks, and caverns.

You have approximately 999 years to complete your mission, so no procrastination. Remember the fate of the world might rest with you and your crew. Though popular consensus says we will either kill ourselves through nuclear war, a super virus, or by proving to aliens we are useless/dangerous to the rest of the galaxy.**

• While you were in cryo-sleep the funding for this mission was cut in lieu of nicer toilet seats.
  
• *Consensus made through a social media poll.

 

environments/biomes

Very quickly you'll find out your mission is not what it seems. You were expecting a lifeless rock your team would spend a few easy years drilling through. BAR-101 was anything but. Riddled with caves and things that love the taste of your EXO suits, the asteroid, and your mission will be anything but easy.

Dark Cave - Fight bats, slimes, 4 legged spiders and more as you pick your way through the first 'Dark Cave' Biome. You'll see mostly gray rocks but strange fireflies will also light up the cave with a strange ambiance.

The Underwater - Deeper down you find there is a large pocket of water trapped under the 'Dark Cave' biome. 'The Underwater' challenges the player with slowed down movement. Imagine deep sea divers in their large brass suits. Players will face rocket fish, sneaky swordfish, methane gas bubbles, butt-pinching crabs, and more as they delve deeper within the asteroid.

Lava Zone - The last of the three biomes is where the asteroid gets its life-giving heat. The lava zone adds the extra danger of overheating the players EXO suit. If the player stays on the ground too long the heat will damage the player. Enemies like the Splitting Fire Slime, the Fire Spitting Spider, falling rocks, and flame shooting fissures will try to abate the player.

 

meet the Team

Adam Truncale - Lead Programmer
Melissa Truncale - story and Marketing
Andrew Dees - Music and Soundtrack
Alex Lazar - Artist and Box/concept Art

 

other reviews

http://bigbossbattle.com/save-world-reaching-core-asteroid-superfluous-now-early-access/