Impaler, an indie roguelike shooter from developer Apptivus and publisher Retrovibe, has just released a broad roadmap for new content that fans can expect throughout 2023. Impaler launched in December 2022 and is available now on PC.
Although release dates are not confirmed by today’s roadmap, it does give specific features and imply their order of release. Here’s the official tweet from Retrovibe’s feed:
Impaler is something of an oddity, and all the better for it. There are elements of Doom and arcade shooters, combined with roguelike features. The art design is bloody and strange, almost deliberately made to feel rough around the edges. It really captures the spirit of 90’s gaming.
The central mechanic of manipulating spikes is intriguing, and it does give players a surprising level of freedom in overcoming obstacles. It increases movement and tactics, rewarding the time you invest in Impaler.
The devs smartly wield simplicity, in all of the best ways. The gameplay itself is easy to learn but deceptively layered, much like all of the most memorable retro games.
Impaler has remained somewhat overlooked, despite winning praise from curious indie fans. So, it’s a welcome surprise to find that the devs still have ambitious plans for 2023. It’s unfortunate that they aren’t able to give any kind of release windows.
But the prospect of new stages is definitely going to be a win. Although Impaler can be fun, it definitely needs new content. Gameplay moves too quickly, and the roguelike mechanics just don’t add enough replay value.
The level designs share in the simplicity of the rest of the game, so they seem more forgettable than the character designs. New monsters and stages should help fill out the game and attract newcomers, which the devs certainly deserve.
You can read more about Impaler, Retrovibe, and other notable indie updates by checking out the rest of our news section!
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