Curious Fate and Akupara Games are reaching back into the past while wrapping classic shoot’em up foundations in a modern style.
Bracer is a 3D fantasy shoot’em up in which players must face a twisted necromancer driven by a cursed bracer and a bloodlust for destruction. Players do not have to take on this challenge alone, since Bracer supports local co-op: with a companion, you can combine your abilities, weapons, and classes while traveling through swamps, forests, gothic cities, and astral planes. Much like old-school shoot’em up mechanics, players fight through an endless chain of encounters, blasting enemies, dodging projectiles, and unlocking upgrades. Whether in a full story campaign or the relentless Endless Dungeon mode, Bracer raises the stakes and places the safety of the world in the players’ hands. Do you have what it takes to stop the apocalypse, or will you collapse at its miserable feet?
A deadly curse is spreading across the land. At its center is a malevolent bracer worn by a once-familiar figure. The sickness has taken root. The sacred tree of life has twisted into the feared tree of death, spawning armies of the undead from its wretched underground tendrils. Three heroes stand against this threat: an intrepid knight, a mysterious wizard, and a ruthless bounty hunter. Each has a personal reason to hunt the villain and end his corruption. Safety is only an illusion: waves of enemies, hazards, and projectiles surge forward without pause, turning every encounter into a dance of blasting, dodging, looting, and slashing. Fight through monstrous hordes in a dark, gothic, and deadly world. Forward motion is your greatest enemy and your only path to victory.
Fast-paced, classic shoot’em up gameplay awaits with endless twists. Dodge deadly forces, weave through enemy fire, and battle your way across a dark, gothic world. Collect gold, unlock powerful abilities on a deep skill tree, and purchase essential weapon upgrades to customize your playstyle. Bring one of 11 unique player pets into battle, and customize your appearance with character, pet, and weapon cosmetics. Do not face the darkness alone. Two players can fight together and turn the tide of battle.
Hunt down the necromancer in story mode, or push your limits in Endless Dungeon mode. Both paths feature unique rewards and progression flows. Advance through multiple difficulty levels that fundamentally change the gameplay with additional hazards and denser enemy hordes. Prove your skill by defeating challenging bosses, completing level objectives, and improving your ranks and scores across every mode.
“The idea for Bracer came about while thinking of games that would be fun to create and play at every stage of development, from prototyping to playtesting to shipping. Something about the fast-paced SHMUP genre felt perfect. The classics tend to focus on spaceships, but I wanted to see what a fantasy twist would look like. I added a bit of depth with a story, shops, skill trees, and a free-roam area, and Bracer was born” – developer Jason Shields wrote in the press release.
Bracer is in development for PC, but its release date has not yet been announced.
Source: Gematsu
