What would it have been like if you could have played the side-scrolling platformers from the 1980s and 1990s with tons of other people? We might have a glimpse into this strange slice of alternate history when StarBreak launches next month.
StarBreak is a 2-D run-and-gun platformer that also happens to be massively multiplayer. The conceit is that players will be “sparks” that can inhabit humanoid shells and explore alien worlds until those bodies are destroyed. So yes, there’s permadeath, but the game designers promise that advancement comes quickly and unlocking new shells for future runs is part of the fun (it reminds us of Realm of the Mad God in that respect). The team hopes that players will naturally group up to tackle monstrously huge alien bosses and stick to safety in numbers.
Currently StarBreak is wrapping up its beta test period in anticipation for a May 10th launch on Steam. You can watch its trailer after the jump to get a feel for the title and its backstory.
