All The Games Are Here: Ring Runner Trailer
Remember when games came on tapes, and dynamic, go-getting entrepreneurs would sell 'compilations' in the backs of magazines? Seemingly random games sharing tape space, all bundled up side-by-side. Well Ring Runner: War Of The Sages is like one of those compilation tapes, but set in space. And it looks like a child has gotten hold of the tape, ripped all the ribbon out, and then bunched it all up. That's the best analogy I have after watching the latest trailer, which shows space ships frantically fighting through a lovely 2D galaxy. It's the breadth of powers available that makes it interesting: the usual drones and c-beams beams can be seen glittering, but one ship has a flail, and another's based on Link's skillset from the Legend of Zelda. It has a spin attack and boomerang.
It's basically about space wizards fighting, with a huge range of customiseable ships that can do everything from time manipulation to spawning an atomic hammer. Single-player, co-op, and multiplayer are all included, and any combination of skills is allowed. To keep things interesting, the AI can handle each power, so everything you come across will provide a unique challenge.
Why is all this happening? Oh, I don't know. I watched the video and got lost in an explanation about brain implants, and though I'd dismiss the background as a swamp of nonsense to justify you flying ships that have 300 combine-able abilities, they're releasing a fricking novel alongside the game as well. It also has elements of tower defense, it's non-linear, and there's an upcoming MOBA mode. I'm glad they eventually stopped adding bits to begin the shipping process, or it'd end up with text adventure and free-running sections
I actually could see this being a fun blast with friends, and if the scope for tweaking the ships is wide as the trailer suggests then setting up a few brainless games of an evening could be lots of fun. Their Youtube channel has a hundred million videos if you want to look over the development, with every part of the game's systems discussed.
It's out July 9th from everywhere but Steam, and there will be a demo released before that. But they're also trying to get Steam happening as well.