Screenshot Saturday Featuring Gunhowl, Monster Prom 2, More

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Hello, and welcome to another edition of Screenshot Saturday! Where every weekend, talented members of the game industry take to Twitter to show off their latest and upcoming creations in quick little snippets…only to be drowned out by k-pop fans, radio stations, and the account of a completely mediocre triple-a action game, all spamming or encouraging spam of the #screenshotsaturday tag with constant streams of activity. Yes, sadly, the situation I discussed last week hasn’t improved much, and so once again I threw up my hands after a while and decided to just work with what I had so far (which thankfully, still included some impressive stuff).

Now, after I got back from PAX East back in March, I declared we would be undergoing an “anything goes” policy here at Screenshot Saturday once major gaming events started getting cancelled, saying that the hashtag would not be needed and tweets wouldn’t need to be recent, as smaller indie titles would need exposure more than ever now. After all, a bigger net would need to be cast. I eventually phased this out after several virtual events and tons of demos, but I’m bringing it back, if only for sanity reasons, and to see if we can actually get a replacement or a new addition going. For example, a few people are trying to make #indiewishlistwednesday a thing as well, and while it isn’t perfect (as it would focus on games already on Steam), I feel that should at least be given a small highlight as well to see if it can catch on. So with all of that said, let’s get on with the show already…

https://twitter.com/kebabskal/status/1314506999409803264

Gunhowl- Okay, so what we have here is a 2D roguelike action-platformer with striking pixel art and fast-paced action where you play as a wolf armed with a sort of living gun that can latch onto enemies and devour them and also act as a grappling hook with its tongue and can get upgrades that allow it to do things like spit acid and oh, look at that, I’m throwing my money at the screen already based on that concept. But seriously, the insanely smooth action on display here combined with the fact that the creator’s previous game, Hell is Other Demons, was a kick-ass arcade-style action game all definitely makes this one I’m drooling over.

https://twitter.com/monsterprom/status/1315013732456521728

Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp- The famed dating sim returns this month with its latest installment, combined with a whole set of new and familiar monster faces to woo in a ton of unapologetically twisted and humorous situations that should be an absolute hoot. As an example, please allow Dahlia here to take her rage out on a jigsaw puzzle, presumably over the fact that somebody actually suggested they attempt a jigsaw puzzle while at camp. That hibiscus is mocking her, dammit, and so it will pay…

Strangeland- The developers behind Primordia team up with Wadjet Eye again for another potentially impressive point-and-click adventure game, this time venturing from science fiction to surreal horror, as you wake up with amnesia in a nightmarish carnival. It looks like what we have here is just the opening, but it nicely sets the tone for what’s to come…which, as the Steam page shows, is full of even more bizarre sights.

Wraithbinder- This may be a hack-and-slash game (for up to eight players, incredibly), but while swords, axes, and more can deliver a satisfying impact, sometimes you’re going to want to just go with a firearm. Especially if the devs are working hard to create finely-tuned lock-on controls to make for the best ranged weapon gameplay possible.

https://twitter.com/risinghellgame/status/1311365264726876160

Rising Hell- Ladies and gentlemen, is this one of those bugs that should be fixed, or left in the game as a feature? Sure, the fact that the boss attempting to stop you from climbing out of Hell isn’t fighting back is an issue, but as great as this arcade-style game is, it could likely also benefit from more dancing demons that are lit up like a rave.

https://twitter.com/BenstarDEV/status/1315010373003681794

Revita- A fast-paced, twin-stick roguelike platformer where you attempt to climb to the top of a mysterious clock tower in order to restore your memories…that actually weirdly combines elements from several of the previous games here, but I swear this choice was unintentional. No, instead it’s here because of its incredible action and eye-catching style. And if you want more, you can check out a demo of it right now as part of the latest Steam Game Festival.

Gestalt: Steam & Cinder- The original shot cycle seen here for this steampunk metroidvania game probably would have been completely serviceable, but going over the evolution shown here, you can tell how much hard work was put into giving just even a single shot a ton of flair and personality. Truly some impressive stuff that bodes well for the finished product.

Slender Threads- If there’s one thing I’ve learned from other works of horror such as Lovecraft’s various tales, it’s that the more quaint and folksy a small town seems, the more likely it is to hide some sort of supernatural terror. So I feel sorry for our unfortunate salesman here, but at least his trauma will make for one nifty-looking adventure game.

Moustachevania- I admit that I’m a bit wary of any game making a joke like this front and center, as if to say that a single joke is the central focus of the game. But it certainly does have some impressive artwork at first glance, and a deeper dive suggests the emphasis in this platformer is more on the various equipment you come across in the Underworld. And hey, that is indeed too impressive of a ‘stache to ignore.

https://twitter.com/theStonebot/status/1314998627639660544

The Last Friend- This unique tower defense/beat-’em-up hybrid has mainly focused on the dogs you protect and fight alongside as being your lone friends, but as seen here, it looks like a few NPCs like this cool old lady will also get to act as additional friends along the way. Or be friends to your canine companions, at the very least.