Enter the Chronosphere, the next game from Melbourne-based studio Effort Star, is officially set to launch in early access on 25 May, after several years in development. This ‘turn-based tactical bullet hell’ game is all about strategy and planning as you attempt to fight against alien threats on procedurally-generated ‘chronospheres’.
Enter the Chronosphere release date – quick links
What to know about Enter the Chronosphere
As shared by Effort Star, Enter the Chronosphere follows a spacebound crew who enter unique biomes with a singular quest to defeat roaming alien threats, and to survive their onslaught. Starting from the outside, players must work their way into the heart of each chronosphere, defeating enemies along the way while reckoning with a unique movement system.
In the tradition of Superhot, the action will only happen when you move. As soon as you stop, your world is paused, giving you time to figure out where to go and how fast you can pivot. It’s all about quick thinking and anticipating the next moves when play restarts.
As Effort Star says: ‘When you move, so does everything else. Alternate between bold action and careful planning. Dodge through a field of bullets, reload your shotgun, knock enemies into pits, call an artillery strike, or heal up just before you get hit in the face.’
You’ll be able to mix and match an arsenal of weapons to traverse a variety of increasingly difficult chronospheres, all of which have their own unique threats and opportunities. The further you travel, the stronger you become, with each victory allowing you to gain upgrades – including the ability to ‘modify your chainsaw to implant alien eggs, and then detonate your hatched minions like living bombs’.
Here’s what to expect of Enter the Chronosphere‘s early access period
Per Effort Star, Enter the Chronosphere will arrive in early access with a robust array of features which will later be expanded.
On launch, you can expect to be able to explore five biomes with their own weapons, gear, bosses, and challenges. You’ll be able to play with three characters – Marcia, the last human in the universe, Urtar, a powerful bear, and Lillupilly, a ‘cool’ frog.
‘We have been working on the game for a long time to get it to a level of quality and scope that we’re happy with. Now we are going to be adding more content with your input,’ the team says.
In future, players can expect: ‘More biomes with new weapons, items and enemies and bosses. More playable characters, each with their own story and unlockable load outs. And an extended story to fit it all into.’
Enter the Chronosphere will be in early access for around six months, with new content added throughout this period. Those keen to hop in early will be able to shape the game with feedback, and see how it evolves in each iteration.
Enter the Chronosphere launches for PC in early access on 25 May.
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