Hitbox Team, the indie development team behind 2D “sweep-'em-up” platformer Dustforce, has just announced its newest project for PC, Mac, and Linux: Spire.
Spire is, according to the blog post, “about ascending a monolithic tower of unknown origin.” Apparently, the interior of this tower will change through procedural generation every time that you play, so the game is never the same. But this won't just be any procedural generator. According to the team, the plan is to have a generator that balances the intensity of the scenes it creates “to better control the emotional arc of the experience.” The generation, apparently, will have intention.
The game has a fantasy setting, but with “non-standard creatures and items” rather than just goblins and elves. So treasures will be mysterious, and enemies unfamiliar.
As for the way the game is played, Hitbox Team wants it to feel a lot like Dustforce, with snappy and skilful movement required by the procedurally generated levels. It's touted as an FPS with style, but you won't just be running around. “A huge part” of the game will also be using and combining the various items you come across in unique ways, like altering the environment or protecting/healing your character.
Essentially, the team wants players to achieve the same kind of fluid movement and item-switching as happens in Quake's Challenge ProMode Arena. Sound like something you could get on board with?
