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[Holammer]

Here's a game that eluded me during the last Steam Next event. Learned about the game from Canadian Guy Eh, a YTber with a focus on Crash Bandicoot & Spyro. He describes it as a mix of Skylanders/Spore/Ratchet & Clank, a pretty apt comparison. Developed by Canadian based Hatchery Games, a new studio made up by many former Skylander devs from Beenox.
A platformer & Arena shooter where you as a "wrangler" jack into a small critters to fight a corrupting force, between mission you hatch new voidlings, upgrade and evolve them into new forms. Trailer shows some activities not featured in the demo.

Played it for almost two hours and the game is actually pretty good, a solid 9/10. The platforming is indeed very R&C'ey and the larger platforming levels have cleverly hidden secrets. My only complaint is how the player avatar is a mute and faceless clean slate character with a suspiciously flat helmet and the support NPCs aren't fun or sexy at all. They must've challenged themselves to the edge of human imagination to make them as drab and boring as possible.

Releases first on PC June 9th with PS5, Switch2 & Xbox later.

Hatchery Games

Hatchery Games Studio is a video game developer located in Québec city Canada that focuses on creating games featuring memorable creatures and characters.

www.hatcherygames.com

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Now that looks like it has potential!

Gameplay looks so smooth, it's obvious this team has some real Beenox talent, and isn't just the lead marketing guy or the janitor making this game.

 

[Haint]

Skylanders were terrible games, utterly mundane cookie cutter copy pasta slop that was only relevant and popular on the back of the novelty of toy scanning with children. If these developers think ex-Skylanders has cachet like they were making Mario or something they're delusional.

 

[Tobimacoss]

It's the plot of Hoppers.

 

[March Climber]

and isn't just the lead marketing guy or the janitor making this game.

Just so that I know for the future, which game actually did such a crazy thing where the marketer or janitor pretended to be 'from the makers of'?

It sounds like it would make for a funny story.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Just so that I know for the future, which game actually did such a crazy thing where the marketer or janitor pretended to be 'from the makers of'?

It sounds like it would make for a funny story.

Ashes of Creation was pushing a former Sony Online marketing lead as a lead developer for their game in interviews to get Kickstarter money.

 

[March Climber]

Ashes of Creation was pushing a former Sony Online marketing lead as a lead developer for their game in interviews to get Kickstarter money.

Ah I forgot about them. Hoping to see a youtube doc about that game and dev soon, because what's out there sounds messed up.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Ah I forgot about them. Hoping to see a youtube doc about that game and dev soon, because what's out there sounds messed up.

 

[Spukc]

Skylanders were terrible games, utterly mundane cookie cutter copy pasta slop that was only relevant and popular on the back of the novelty of toy scanning with children. If these developers think ex-Skylanders has cachet like they were making Mario or something they're delusional.

 

[Durin]

They must've challenged themselves to the edge of human imagination to make them as drab and boring as possible.

Yeah, I kinda noticed this too, but wasn't sure if that was the limitations of the demo vs the final game.

Any of these hub-based games need to realize when you revisit the space so often, having fun characters adds flavor to keep the loop from feeling stale between missions.

Game is fun though.