Xeno Crisis is a new, original title for the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis and Dreamcast which will be released both as a physical cartridge and also as a downloadable ROM. At its core, it's an arena shooter for up to 2 players that takes inspiration from the likes of Smash TV, Contra, Mercs, Granada, Alien Syndrome, Zombies Ate My Neighbours, Chaos Engine, and Shock Troopers.

The focus of Xeno Crisis' gameplay is the intense combat which pits you (and optionally another player) against thousands of alien enemies - players take control of a male or female marine capable of moving and shooting in 8 directions, and they can also perform an evasive roll to get out of tricky situations. If things get really desperate then a grenade can be deployed, destroy anything nearby, giving the player a brief moment of respite.

Players have several weapons at their disposal, but ammo is limited so players must constantly be on the move, grabbing new weapons and extra ammo as they go. When a room has been cleared of all hostiles the player(s) can choose which exit to take, with the aim being to rescue any of the colony's inhabitants who might still be alive, and then progress to the area's boss. There are 5 areas in total, each with their own enemies, hazards, secrets and gameplay nuances.

Every few enemies killed will result in a set of dog-tags being dropped - these can be collected and exchanged for upgrades between areas.

Bitmap Bureau is running a kickstarter campaign, which is already 280% funded with 48 hours to go.

We’re announcing a new stretch goal to port Xeno Crisis to the Nintendo Switch and for Steam on PC/Mac/Linux. We love the Nintendo Switch and think it’ll be great to play Xeno Crisis on a handheld device (for those of us that don’t own a Sega Nomad!).

We want the game to look, feel and sound like the classic Mega Drive games of the '80s and '90s, but also add some new elements that weren't so common in games of that era, particularly procedural map generation and randomisation of gameplay elements. Achieving that classic look and feel is vitally important to us, which is why we've teamed up with legendary pixel artist Henk Nieborg, who previously worked on the Mega Drive title "The Misadventures Of Flink", developed by Psygnosis.

We're also working with "Savaged Regime"; a highly renowned chip-tune artist that knows how to push the Mega Drive's YM2612 chip to the limit - you can hear a sample of the Xeno Crisis soundtrack in the Kickstarter video above.

Should the player run out of health they will be taken to the 'Continue' screen, where they can decide to continue the fight or start over - the player begins the game with 3 continues but more can be acquired between areas. If a player runs out of health in 2-player mode, that player will remain down until the end of the room, at which point they’ll be revived automatically.

As you progress through the colony you will come across many different enemies, each with their own traits and means of attack. Many of them can be gunned down without too much thought, but others will require the player to outflank them, attack them within a certain time window, or be avoided altogether! Here are the first few enemies you'll encounter:

There are several weapons at your disposal, each with their own characteristics. Although your standard issue pulse rifle is perfectly capable of taking on the enemy, other weapons can give you advantages in certain situations, so picking them up is generally advisable - just don't run out of ammo!

At the end of each area you will be given the chance to exchange any dog-tags you've collected for upgrades ranging from extra health to weapon power-ups to extra continues. Which upgrades you go for will depend on your style of play.

Key Features:

• Intense arena-based combat where the player must constantly be on their toes, prioritising which enemies to engage next, and ensuring they don't run out of ammo.
• Procedurally generated maps and rooms, so you never know what's coming up, and you have to adapt your tactics on a room-by-room basis.
• Optional 2-player co-operative play, so you can take the fight to the enemy with a friend - just make sure you share the ammo!
• 5 diverse areas to explore, each with their own obstacles and hazards, and secrets, including The Outpost, The Nest, The Laboratory
• Upgrade system which allows you to adapt the game to your style of play - are you a cautious player or more gung-ho?
• An arsenal of 9 different weapons to switch things up and turn the tables in your favour.
• 5 intimidating bosses, each of which will demand you to learn a different strategy to defeat them.
• Two modes of play; once you've completed the Arcade mode you can try your hand at the Infinite mode, where even veteran players will find a challenge.
• Two difficulty levels; "Rookie" and "Hardcorps". Playing on Rookie will mean easier progress, but you won't be able to see the "good" ending!

Xeno Crisis is currently at the prototype stage and will be released in October 2018 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Mega Drive's launch in Japan.