RetroBlazer features elements prevalent in 2D games with a focus on classic running-and-gunning gameplay. You are challenged by a wide variety of enemies and empowered by a collection of unique weapons. And when firepower isn’t enough, you must rely on your wits to survive the ruins of an once utopian world.

This project has been in the works as a labor of love for over a decade. Our goal is simple: to create an awesome, fully-realized action game inspired by the games of our childhood and the present!

Our target distribution is through Steam. We believe that Steam provides the best channels to obtain your game wherever and whenever you want. Please help support our game by voting for us on Steam Greenlight!

RetroBlazer all started as a dream game of project lead Amil Parra over a decade ago. It began as a simple idea, but evolved into its own grand sci-fi world that refused to be just scrapped. Amil was determined to make the idea a reality as each version and iteration inherited certain designs and themes with a distinct vision at its center.

The project was first called “NeoBlazer” and then titled "Armor of Acheron". It wasn’t until the project was scaled back that it felt like calling the game "RetroBlazer" was more appropriate. 

In RetroBlazer you play as trainee warrior Jonas, former member of the ARK City protection unit, the GunBlazers. The protectors have failed and ARK City has been invaded by the evil Judgment Legion, led by the charismatic Lokhan.

Jonas, alongside his TechBlazer engineer, Javelin, fought against the Legion only to be forced into retreat after being gravely wounded.

At a hidden laboratory on the outskirts of ARK's Outer World, Javelin restores Jonas with a mysterious armor, formerly worn by an unknown GunBlazer soldier, which Javelin dubs: the RetroBlazer.

Rendezvous with Javelin and the remaining GunBlazers to reclaim ARK City and defeat the Judgment!

Retroblazer is the spiritual successor of Labyrinthia-style Raycasting and Vertex mapped games of the early 90s. The style is layered in the simple and familiar whereas the gameplay is a blend of complex level design and intense firefights. 

Inspired by 90s sprite-based FPSes, RetroBlazer employs modern technology to push the genre to the limit. RetroBlazer maximizes use of a robust and colorful 32-bit palette to create a distinct hybrid of 16 to 32-bit graphics.

RetroBlazer’s gameplay is fast. VERY fast. The controls are so precise and responsive, that you can fly through areas at ridiculous speeds. It’s simple, clean, and frantically awesome!

Combine that speed and accuracy with intense combat, and a sprinkle of puzzle-solving, and you get an unique game experience unlike any other.

Obstacles and enemies stand between you and victory. There are toxic water pits, lava, exploding barrels, and chasms of doom as terrain hazards. Enemies are everywhere, the obvious and not-so-obvious—shoot them all! And be sure to expose hidden areas via walls you can blow up.

Selectable Skill Levels – More enemies appear on higher difficulties and items will also be less effective! The hardest setting will need to be unlocked.

•  You begin with three episodes, or Zones, to choose from the “Legion HUB”. The fourth and final Zone, ARK City, is locked away by a powerful energy.

• Only by defeating all  three Guardian Sirens (bosses), and collecting their Totem Keys, can Javelin focus their energy and destroy the shield locking away ARK City.

• Once a Zone is clear it can be revisited to explore any areas that were otherwise unreachable without a power-up.

• Revisit each zone to discover all the upgrades that are available! Upgrades are not required for completion.

• As each Episode is completed, reinforcements from previously cleared Zones will be present in other Zones. Previously visited locales may also be more dangerous.

• Once all of the Totems are collected, you will unlock ARK City where Lokahn’s Legions awaits. you in ARK City. Meet Group up with the resistance fighters and fight to save the your City!

 The Judgment Legion - An army of reformatted robots called the “Automatrons”. Led by their leader, Lokahn the Judgment, the mechanical force consists of  soldiers and a specialist force for each Zone. Each area of Outer World contains different Automatrons specially designed for the terrain.

Item Cache - The game will feature an inventory wheel where the player can see all the weapon upgrades, special suit upgrades, special weapons, and storable items you have collected.

Ammo - There are different varieties of ammunition; each powering a specific weapon category. Some ammo items can even be used as a reserve  for other ammo, or be act as a onetime "Replentish All" option.

Power Artifacts – Temporary boosts that increases your damage, improves ammo efficiency or weapon speed for a set amount of time.

Relic Disks - (Currently  only boosts energy and are collectable, secret artifacts in the demo) These will be different items that will serve as a temporary boost to your abilities including damage amplification, power saving, and weapon speed boosts for temporary amount of time.

Energy Meters - UI functionality that keeps track of certain abilities that use regenerative ammunition or alternate source of power.

Upgrade Currency System - Scattered throughout the ARK complex are energy sources called Relic Crystals.

Forge - Relic Crystals grants access to special ARK chambers called Weapon Forges and Item Forges. The Forges allows you to create new items and upgrade your weapons to make them more powerful!

Weapon Forge Pods can found scattered across various ARK Zones. The Forge Pods can upgrade your weapons at the cost of Relic Crystals.

Upgrades and Level Progression – Upgraded weapons can ease the difficulty or uncover hidden areas! They are not critical to area completion.

Blazer Diamonds – Blazer Diamonds enhances your RetroBlazer armor with abilities like Power Dashing, which boosts your maneuverability, or Elemental Abilities to augment your weapons.

Totem Keys - At the end of each Zone exists a Guardian Siren Boss. Each of them possess a Totem Key—an item that upgrades your character to greater heights!

RetroBlazer’s multiplayer mode will be a classic Deathmatch Arena. Players will duke it out on 6 multiplayer maps with 360 degree character sprites that come in selectable color schemes. Each map will feature their own hazards and distinctive terrain. 

Specific weapons and firing modes from the single-player campaign will be rebalanced for PvP play. Don’t forget our stretch goals to enhance the multiplayer experience! Goal rewards include additional maps and exclusive multiplayer characters.

RetroBlazer offers a musical suite of rock, metal, C64 Synth, and chiptunes to create a modern and classically-inspired tracks to go with an awesome game. The music is painstakingly selected to match the ambiance and tempo of each level you traverse and each scene you encounter!

When pre-ordering any of the the digital versions of RetroBlazer that include the The soundtrack, you will be given a Bandcamp Key, which allows you to select a format best suited for your needs!

• More Weapons - Over 20 weapon modes to fight with. Complete with a slew of new weapon models!
• 30+ Maps - Different maps across several in the form of several unique themes.
• 20+ Unique Enemies to Battle - Mow down legions of robotic soldiers and creatures!
• 5+ Huge Bosses - Epic-sized bosses with detailed sprites. Firepower alone may not be enough! some cannot be defeated with firepower alone. 
• 6 Deathmatch Maps - 6 multiplayer deathmatch maps crafted for frantic competitive combat.
• Cinematics - Story and dialogue screens for an enhanced single player experience.
• New Power-Ups and Items – Added ammo-types, health, and attack power-ups! Accessible via a simple to use inventory system. 
• Special Abilities - Obtain and upgrade special abilities to progress through certain maps, attack demolish enemies, and uncover find secrets. 
• Weapon Upgrade System – Search out and use energy crystals to upgrade your weapons!
• Enhanced UI - New UI, equipped with intuitive menus, to keep track of all your all items and weapons.
• Map System – Built for explorers to navigate maps easier! Features reference markers and other tools. leave reference markers.

We decided on KickStarter in order to create RetroBlazer as we truly imagined it. Up to this point, the game has been paid out-of-pocket and produced in our spare time. 

To make a game of this scope requires the skills of talented programmers, artists, illustrators, animators and musicians; so that no single person is overburdened. For this to be a full-time project, the Kickstarter will pay for team members’ living expenses. 

RetroBlazer is not done, but we are in a very good position to launch a great game. Every calculation was made to be transparent and fair to everyone involved, and to make RetroBlazer a FPS experience unlike any other.

Any additional funding that we receive will go straight back into the project. Stretch goals include more content, modes of play and more!

• $110,000 - Game Funded - RetroBlazer will be funded for development! 
• $125,000 - Achievements System – Challenging achievements that will put your skills and mettle to the test!
• $130,000 - Added Deathmatch Features -  4 additional maps for a more tailored deathmatch experience!
• $160,000 - Enhanced Cinematics -  More story for you to sink your teeth into. Complete with added scenes and illustrations.
• ????? - More Goals to be Unlocked!

We have some awesome rewards available! From easy to download digital packages to physical merchandise that will make RetroBlazer an awesome part of your collection. We have a variety of tiers we call “Packs” that offer exactly what you want. All box art and packaging subject to change.

Exclusive Gold Gun DLC

We have some awesome rewards available! From easy to download digital packages to physical merchandise that will make RetroBlazer an awesome part of your collection. We have a variety of tiers we call “Packs” that offer exactly what you want. All box art and packaging subject to change.

The Gold Weapons DLC allows you to select special upgraded versions of select weapons early, and utilize their unique attacking power!

Digital Reward Packs

Physical Reward Packs

 Premium Reward Packs

VIP Reward Packs

Rewards for the ultimate fans! Not only do you get an inside look at the game, but a personal experience with the team!

$1,500 - BEHIND THE SCENES Q&A ULTRA PACK

All of our physical rewards will be available to be shipped to most locations around the world! If you live outside the United States and would like one of the physical reward packages, please select the appropriate shipping amount for your area.

Hydra Game Works is an independent video game studio founded by gamers for gamers. Fueled by our insatiable appetite for making awesome games, we strive to deliver quality experiences that we too want to enjoy.

Amil Parra - Project Lead, Lead Artist

The man, the visionary, the mastermind behind RetroBlazer. Inspired by 2D Eastern art and classic Western games, Amil has been a game developer for over 10 years. When he isn’t collecting robot action figures, he can be found trying to teach his golden retriever, Banjo, to do backflips.

Jeremy Iamurri - Music

We are pleased to present the awesome architect of RetroBlazer’s music: Jeremy Iamurri, also known as Solatrus. Iamurri has worked on music for other indie games such as Starbound and MS Paint Adventures, as well as composed three of his own albums.