Finishing the story in Spaceborn: Awakening, the forthcoming bullet-heaven roguelite developed by solo developer Stathis Aposporis, will have effects that go beyond just the narrative. Each chapter unlocks class awakenings and features which carry over into later runs, linking character progression directly to the process of becoming the first Spaceborn.
Aposporis has just released a new gameplay trailer in the run-up to its planned Steam launch later this year. The video highlights the game’s developing weapons, the corrupted swarm enemies, and the awakenings which transform regular crew members into ever more powerful cosmic champions. A free demo is currently available on Steam.
The campaign involves a selected champion who is directed by a mysterious cosmic force as they confront the corrupted swarm and the antagonist Voss Praetor; the players have the same power as the Void when fighting on the side opposite to that of the struggle for balance.
In the world of the game a mysterious cosmic power is aiming at achieving a state of balance; whenever this balance changes Spaceborns and Voidborns appear on opposite sides and stay in conflict until it is regained. Awakening is a prequel to this timeline and looks at the first conflict which took place when that power was still in its raw and uncontrolled state.
Stathis Aposporis, solo developer at ProtoGames, explained how building progression around the story informed the design of their first solo game:
This is my first game as a solo dev and honestly the whole bet is pretty simple. I’ve spent my career watching narrative get bolted onto genres where it doesn’t quite fit, so with Spaceborn I built the game the other way around. Becoming the first Spaceborn is the progression. The story and the roguelite loop aren’t two separate things, they’re one and the same.
Players start off as a regular crew member and work their way up to becoming gods, acquiring abilities that allow them to clear the screen of enemies. The weapons develop and change throughout the games, and as the campaign is completed the range of weapons and features available for use in the Survival and Endless modes gradually increases.
The cinematic story combines themes of awakening, corruption, legacy and sacrifice with a cartoony presentation and lighter humour. Its cosmic conflict provides the backdrop for the large-scale combat and escalating abilities associated with the bullet-heaven genre.
Awakening is set to be released on Steam later this year, and players can currently add it to their wishlist and play the free demo.
