Unleash Epic Intergalactic Battles: The Ultimate Fusion of Hades and Star Fox!

Highlights

Whisker Squadron: Survivor combines the best elements of roguelite gameplay and on-rails shooting, reminiscent of Star Fox 64.

Whisker Squadron: Survivor excels at generating an engaging gameplay cycle that hooks players, much like Hades, and holds the promise of endless replay value.

With Whisker Squadron: Survivor, players gain access to permanent upgrades that enable ship customization and offer room for experimentation with various strategies, evoking the similar mechanics found in Vampire Survivors.

Discovering a new indie title is made even better when developers cleverly combine different genres, creating something unique and unexpected. In the realm of roguelites, there are plenty of quality options available, but the truly exceptional ones offer an innovative twist. This is where Whisker Squadron: Survivor comes in – the latest offering from Flippfly. Serving as a roguelite prologue to next year's highly anticipated Whisker Squadron, which draws inspiration from the iconic Star Fox series, Survivor successfully merges the addictive "just one more run" gameplay with the exhilarating on-rails shooting mechanics that Nintendo fans adore.

Before diving into the world of Whisker Squadron, it's worth mentioning that Flippfly's previous release, Race the Sun, was a minimalist flight sim with twitch-based movement mechanics, available on both PC and consoles. The expertise gained from crafting precise and responsive flight simulations is evident in the handling of the three playable ships in Whisker Squadron: Survivor. Despite their subtle differences, each ship feels incredibly smooth to pilot. Fans of Star Fox will find all the expected elements here – inverted flight controls, laser cannons, barrel rolls, and even anthropomorphic animals. However, what sets Whisker Squadron: Survivor apart is its mastery of the core fundamentals of a captivating roguelite experience.

Whisker Squadron: Survivor Matches the Addictive Nature of Hades

An essential aspect of any roguelite is its ability to engage players in an addictive gameplay loop, where a single playthrough can turn into countless more. Hades excels in this genre, offering players a refreshing experience each time with a vast array of potential upgrades. Each upgrade presents its own usefulness in combat and has the potential to drastically alter player strategy from one run to the next. Whisker Squadron: Survivor not only accomplishes these aspects of a great roguelite, but it also offers the same easy-to-enter and easy-to-exit gameplay as Hades.

It's surprising that space combat roguelites haven't gained more popularity, considering that the roguelite formula blends naturally with arcade-style on-rails flight sims. Everspace explored the roguelite genre with success, but Whisker Squadron: Survivor possibly surpasses it in terms of speed. Similar to Hades, a playthrough can end as quickly as it begins, yet players are compelled to immediately jump back into the action and give it another try. The stunning visuals and exceptional soundtrack create the perfect atmosphere as players strive to survive 10 rounds, adapting their strategy on the go and discovering the best combinations of upgrades.

Meaningful Permanent Upgrades Call to Mind Vampire Survivors

Players earn in-game currency as they complete each round of a level, which they can then use to permanently upgrade one of the three ships in the hangar. These upgrades start off small, improving mechanics like fire rate and missile capacity, but eventually accumulate to make significant adjustments to how players approach each run. These upgrades not only enhance the ships, but also allow for the selection of new mutators during each run, encouraging experimentation. It's clear that Whisker Squadron: Survivor has taken inspiration from Vampire Survivors, as the permanent upgrades in both games promote similar gameplay elements.

While drawing inspiration from well-regarded roguelites such as Hades and Vampire Survivors, Whisker Squadron: Survivor aims to deliver an experience reminiscent of Star Fox 64. With Nintendo's space combat franchise absent, Flippfly and other developers have risen to the challenge, offering their own unique take on the beloved titles. This demonstrates that there is still a dedicated fanbase eagerly awaiting the opportunity for a new Star Fox game. In the meantime, Whisker Squadron: Survivor fills that void, providing thrilling runs that will keep players on the edge of their seats.

Whisker Squadron: Survivor is available now for PC.