Mind The Gap: Chasm Resurfaces

Ever wanted to see a Wendigo so furious that it is constantly vibrating? I suggest you head to the frozen North and pee onto any particularly bulbous snowdrift that sounds like it's snoring. For the less adventurous types, the developers of 2D ARPG platformer Chasm have included just such an image in their latest trailer. The music and the sight of a covered wagon at the beginning of the video both suggest a Western, but the game leans toward the fantastic, with spikes and circular saws aplenty. It looks lovely though, combining Metroidvania exploration and progression with procedural generation. Sounds like a tall order. Maybe it'd be better just to micturate on a monster.

Or maybe whizzing on Wendigoes isn't the answer. Chasm entices me. While I suspect the procedural generation will have more in common with Rogue Legacy's stitching together of a basket of prefabricated parts than a wholesale confusion of elements, the aesthetic is delightful and the ARPG aspects should make the game stand out from the pixellated platform pack.

The early pre-Kickstarter prototype is still available for download and the game is due for release when we all Fall down later this year.

While we're here, does anyone remember Chasm: The Rift? Wikipedia says, "One of the most notable features of the game was the ability to remove limbs from enemies." It was certainly a notable enough feature to convince Foolish Young Adam to buy it and struggle through the increasingly abysmal level design. I may have been stuck in corridors packed with insta-death traps but there was a goblin jester with an arm off.