A title inspired by the creators of Galak-Z, known for its underrated status, draws inspiration from the chaotic physical action of Gang Beasts. However, it addresses one significant lack - the integration of a colossal sword.
Hop on Board Indie studio, 17-Bit, never fails to surprise us with their wildly different projects. They launched onto the scene over a decade ago with strategy game, Skulls of the Shogun, and followed it up with the addictive roguelike, Galak-Z. After venturing into VR with Song in the Smoke, they're back to a genre they're passionate about - physics-based games.
Jake Kazdal, founder of 17-Bit, admits his obsession with these games, stating they're "deeper, so much more interesting inherently." However, he hasn't found any that truly live up to his vision - a meshing of the comedic physics from games like Human Fall Flat with the classical Zelda-style of adventure. And that's exactly what they've been working on for the past three years, along with a unique claymation art style that's reminiscent of pre-rendered, plastic CG art from the PlayStation 1 era.
Observing Gang Beasts at PAX sparked this idea. Though inspired by its crowd-gathering, high-tension gameplay, Kazdal felt the game lacked impact. He envisions a sword mechanics that delivers a more substantial punch, combining it with the physicality of the game for an unparalleled gaming experience.
Indie studio 17-Bit has dabbled in this type of combat in the past, with the ship in Galak-Z featuring a physics-centric movement quality. However, Awaysis is built entirely around this concept, incorporating directional swings and weight to the game world. Want to throw an apple at an enemy? Go ahead! But if it doesn't do enough damage, they could use it to heal themselves.
Magical attacks, inspired by Magicka, add another layer of chaos to the game. Fireballs, for example, will knock enemies helter-skelter, while water magic stuns foes and sends them flying. Kazdal focuses on ensuring physicality in combat, offering several sword strikes from various angles, quick attacks, and powerful charged strikes. There's also blocking, parrying, and deflecting, making each successful hit truly satisfying.
Unlike Galak-Z, Awaysis isn't a roguelike, but its missions are designed to be replayable, offering players new gear and power-up modules upon completion. While the game is based on combat, it's dressed up as an adventure game, with dungeons to explore and a world rich with secrets waiting to be uncovered.
Soon, we'll have more on Awaysis. In the meantime, head over to the game's Steam page.
Wes FenlonWes Fenlon brings more than a decade of gaming and hardware journalism to PC Gamer. He tries his hand at everything but eagerly embraces emulation and Japanese games. His obsession with tweaking and optimizing Satisfactory's conveyor belts may be becoming a problem. When not lost in a 20-year-old Final Fantasy or a mysterious ASCII roguelike, Fenlon seeks out deep, heartfelt stories from the corners of PC gaming. Oh, and he loves deep-dish pizza.
In their upcoming release, Awaysis, Indie studio 17-Bit delves deeper into physics-based games, aiming to merge comedic physics found in games like Human Fall Flat with the classic Zelda-style of adventure. The game's sword mechanics, inspired by observations of Gang Beasts, promise a more substantial punch and unique physicality.
The game world of Awaysis incorporates directional swings and weight, allowing players to interact with objects in intriguing ways, such as throwing an apple at an enemy. Magical attacks, reminiscent of Magicka, add another layer of chaos to the gameplay.
From the procedurally generated dungeons to the secret-filled world, Awaysis combines combat and adventure elements, offering replayable missions with new gear and power-up modules upon completion, unlike the roguelike structure of Galak-Z. For updates on this exciting new title, visit Awaysis' Steam page.
