Astarian is a challenge-based twin-stick shooter.
Astarian is an arcade twin-stick shooter with precise gameplay somewhere between FPS and shmups where you must take on multi-layered challenges in a variety of game modes.
The Game
Astarian is an arcade twin-stick shooter with precise gameplay between FPS and shmups where you must take on multi-layered challenges in a variety of game modes.
Key features:
- Condensed arcade gameplay – no fillers.
- Beautiful pixel art.
- Varied game mode that affect the game must be played.
- Engaging chain system.
- Clever MP management strategy.
Teaser
Combat
Progression in Cerulean Odyssey is made through puzzles inspired by point and click games. The Use Menu allows you to choose either an item or a spell (the same spells you cast in battle) to use on a specific center of interest. It can be a NPC, a environment element, a chest…
Examples of interactions:
- Heal a villager to obtain a favor.
- Use a magic pearl on a magical device to recharge it.
- Use a key on a locked treasure chest to open it.
- Cast a fire spell on a torch to light up the room.
Game modes
Astarian features 3 game modes that affect how the player must play to win.
Staying alive in Survival Mode requires dodging, hiding and precise shooting. Aiming at a high Grade in a time-based level of Challenge Mode requires rushing forward and either killing enemies fast or dodging them altogether. Attaining a high score in certain levels of Challenge Mode requires mastering the chain system and getting close to the enemies to increase the score.
Every mode encourages adaptation in the player’s strategy and a constant re-evaluation of the risks and rewards.
Challenge Mode
The player choose the level and clears it by fulfilling specific conditions: killing a certain type of enemies, clear the level enemies while maintain a kill-chain, pick up a specific item and more. Once levels are cleared, the player is encouraged to improve their grade (based on time or score) and vie for domination of the leaderboards.
Training Mode
In this free-play mode, choose the player chooses a level and clears it by killing all the enemies of the area to unlock more worlds. This mode, more accessible and more straight-forward than Challenge Mode, is designed for those who want to experience the game freely before taking on the challenges.
Survival Mode
The player must clear a series of levels in quick succession with a limited amount of lives, then improve their score and time to compete in the Leaderboards.
Chain System
The party in Cerulean Odyssey shares one MP pool that is reset after every battle. Deciding what to spend your MP on is key in devising a strategy that leads to victory. Do you want to spend those points on a healing spell or can you spend them on a damage spell to end the battle quicker?
The combo system brings depth and interactivity to the battle. If you press a button at the exact time an attack connects, you will deal more damage (or receive less damage if you are defending). Spells can also be boosted by mashing to charge them up.
If you play it right, you can finish a battle much faster.
Astral Wave is a special move that combines the strength of the full party to deliver a devastating attack and unlock party boons. It is only available with a party of three characters.
Screenshots
Technical information
- Twin-stick Shooter
- Built in Game Maker
- Target platforms: PC & consoles
- The demo is the current state of development of the game.
- My first game is Guild of Darksteel Link
I’m looking for a partner to release Cerulean Odyssey to the widest possible audience of JRPG fans. I would need:
- Marketing support
- Financing (so I can work full-time on the game)
- Production assistance (playtesting, localization, porting)
- Love and affection
Outside of its qualities, the game lends itself well to sequels (JRPG fans welcome sequels and the game engine makes it easy), merch and spinoffs (ensemble cast of recognizable characters and rich universe).
Please take some time to download the production demo. For any inquiry, please contact me at info@igorsandman.net
I’m looking forward to talking with you!
Igor Sandman (developer)
120Mb zip file on Dropbox.
The production demo contains the first 45 minutes of the game including story, interaction puzzles and battle. Three save states are available to explore the three main zones without having to go through the story. The current state of development is what is available in the demo. At the moment, my work is focused on debugging, playtesting the battle system as well as adding the few features that are still missing (shop, mission log, tutorial menu, settings).
About me
I’m a multi-task artist born in Belgium and currently living in Italy. I was a filmmaker before switching to video games. Since the change of career path, I have worked as an animator on Faeria, then developed a personal game called Guild of Darksteel.
I am now occupied full-time as a solo developer on Cerulean Odyssey.