A Hat In Time adds cat crimes and fifty-player online in its next DLC
Animal crimes are at an all-time high.
Good Mario-style 3D platformers aren't too common on PC, so I'm happy to see A Hat In Time still expanding. Announced today, the Nyakuza Metro DLC lands on May 10th, and adds two big new things to Gears For Breakfast's collectathon platformer. First is a whole new story zone, the titular Nyakuza Metro, a neon Tokyo-inspired railroad hub, infested with cat burglars and other felonious felines. The other half of the DLC is Online Party mode, a semi-competitive multiplayer mode for up to fifty players. It's as messy as it sounds, as you can see in the trailer below.
While the previous DLC - Seal The Deal - was briefly free for everyone, Nyakuza Metro is a paid expansion unless you backed the game's original Kickstarter. Still, it's neat looking, featuring new stories, cutscenes and a slightly darker tone than the main game. While the original had Hat Kid butting heads with vaguely-defined Mafia Guys, the Nyakuza seem up to a better-defined breed of No Good. The new world itself looks fun, with lots of chances to play around with grappling hooks and bounce-pads across high-flying train tracks. I do worry that falling could get frustrating if it takes forever to climb back up.
Assuming enough people buy the expansion to keep it populated, the Online Party mode could hugely extend the game's lifespan, especially if it's compatible with user-made levels. Up to fifty players can run, jump and goof around in what looks like a mixture of structured and free-roam modes. It all reminds me a lot of that online multiplayer mod for Super Mario 64 (thanks, Eurogamer). The one that was officially hit by DMCA takedowns, but quietly popped up again not long after. Great fun for goofing around with friends, merely okay with strangers.
While you're waiting for the DLC to land in two weeks, it might be worth a peek at the Steam Workshop for the game. It's now well-stocked with new levels to play and new hats (with special powers) to goof around with. The upcoming DLC will also contain some of the developer's top community picks, as this Workshop blog post says. The mod-makers "will be compensated for their work" too, which is nice to hear.
A Hat In Time: Nyakuza Metro launches on May 10th, and will cost £5.19/€5.69/$6.99. You can find it on Steam, Humble and GOG. The GOG version is cheaper, but lacks online play. The DLC will be free for Kickstarter backers. The main game and previous DLC are also half off on all stores until the launch of the new levels. It's all published by Humble Bundle.