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[nujakujata]

Axis Descending is a Metroidvania Dark Souls-like where you dodge, slash, dash, and shock your way through a story mode, randomized levels, unique bounty hunts, and tons of treasure chests full of loot!
Follow it on twitter @nujakujata!

Summary

Players control a fast, light-on-his-feet sky pirate as they dodge, counter and strike their way through enemies, collect and craft upgrades to traverse the game world, and utilize unique abilities to reveal hidden passages or solve puzzles. Combat is more action platformer-esque, whereas exploration employs similar level design methodologies to Metroidvania games. Additionally, Dark Souls-like mechanics are incorporated into the game's New Game+, travel system, quests with consequences, and more.

3 modes are available. Story, Divecaching that lets you discover new areas, and a Quest/Exploration mode based on areas you've discovered through the other two modes.

Destructibles, enemies, treasure chests and quests reward materials and various upgrades. Materials can be brought to Kiana, your trusty blacksmith, to create weapons, armor, and some of your basic and must-need items.

Found throughout treasure chests and completing specific quests, you can unlock unique hairstyles, rattails, capes, and armor skins that can be changed and modified through your home wardrobe or the stylist in town.

Story

Ages ago, the world of Ajata was destroyed. Instead of perishing, the world's giant floating landmasses merely shifted and orbited the planet's core, creating a series of floating islands and a revolution in aerial transportation. As nations fought to protect their own resources and have access to others, they also sought possession of a mysterious energy source coming from the center of the world. The core was discovered to be a portal to a parallel world called the Nexus.

As time went on and nations warred, a band of adventurers journeyed deep into the Nexus to discover the source of the energy in order to bring peace to the world. Instead, they returned with newfound power and immortality. Hailed the Eversoul Continuum, they devastated nations and destroyed more of a world already in ruin.

Players control Axis Kailash, a pirate of the Baham Skysea as he seeks to destroy the Continuum and truly bring peace to the world of Ajata.

Many of the characters in the game world are based on real-world people in my life. The best example is Kiana the Blacksmith, based on my wife, who the male player must go to in order to get stronger. Without her, he is unable to grow in strength and ability.

Art/Animation is made in Flash
Coded in Flash
Intended for PC market via Steam Greenlight (nothing put forward yet)
Solo developed by Mars Ashton (@nujakujata)
Exploration and subtle "no hand holding here" clues are a fixture
Beta 3 will be released soon and will include the majority of the tutorial areas for the game
Collectible skins include weapons, armor, helms, hoods, capes, rattails, hairstyles and facial hair
3 Weapon Types are available: Longsword, Polearm and Dual
3 Core Gameplay Modes: Story, Divecaching (randomized levels), Questing (Bounties, chains, exploring, etc.)

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[Pixelologist]

The animations look really stiff and fast, like there's not enough frames. The art looks pretty good besides that.

[nujakujata]

Some of the stiffness/quickness may be due to Gifcam. I'm also looking into changing the framerate too, so I'm taking your feedback into account, thanks!

[Davi Vasc]

I really like the colorful and pleasant art style. Most metroidvania games are based on solitude, loneliness and overall feature a darker atmosphere, even more so for Dark Souls based games. It will be great to have a game in those styles featuring a brighter mood.

[bdsowers]

Digging the art style & fast paced movement. Most Metroidvanias feel slow and methodical, having something a little more... energetic is a nice change. Nice inclusion of the Buster Sword, too.

Are the swords skins, or do they have different stats? The UI suggests the former.

[nujakujata]

I really like the colorful and pleasant art style. Most metroidvania games are based on solitude, loneliness and overall feature a darker atmosphere, even more so for Dark Souls based games. It will be great to have a game in those styles featuring a brighter mood.

Thanks, Davi. My thoughts exactly. I can elaborate on this a little further. The world is bright, colorful, and full of life despite the post-apocalyptic state it is in. The Nexus "dark world" is also a bright take on ethereal otherworldly realms. Even though cities have been destroyed nature and life thrive in the normal world. The nature of the world design is serious and mature with a few jokes and goofy skins or characters thrown in. It tries not to take itself too seriously, but there is a message there. Descending, ascending, rising, falling, verticality found within mechanics and the relationship between mankind and their spirituality are at the center of the core story.

Digging the art style & fast paced movement. Most Metroidvanias feel slow and methodical, having something a little more... energetic is a nice change. Nice inclusion of the Buster Sword, too.

Are the swords skins, or do they have different stats? The UI suggests the former.

Thanks! Many of the weapon skins come with bonuses. The Braveblade "buster sword" increase knockback, a few simply improve damage for certain attack types, while other rare weapons give bonuses like "blocking attacks do not knock you back". In general, the armor you get works the same way, but in two layers. The first is a general white-colored set that gives you the basic defensive and movement ability upgrades, like double jump, dashing after dodge rolls, and increased invincibility frames after getting hit. You can swap out a few tiers of skins of each chest, legs, belt, arm category and still retain the upgrades. The second layer is an armor set, which cannot be categorically modified, give you a unique look, and change up your abilities.

The best examples I have for now are the Wizard and Grenadier sets. With Wizard, instead of using melee attacks set to charge up your magic you can simply hold the magic key to meditate and gain it. Instead of heavy lightning attacks, however, you get chain lightning attacks you can spam. For Grenadier, it lets you charge grenades, throw more than one, has a 50% chance to not consume grenades on use, and protects you from explosive enemy attacks.

[nujakujata]

I'm working on figuring out the final HUD design for health and magic. I think I'm on the right track so far. After seeing Hyper Light Drifter's UI I was inspired, but I think the more stylized "Wind Waker-esque" hearts and lightning bolts are where it is at. What do you think? Any that stand out to you?

[nujakujata]

Decided on a floating, player-following UI for everything. Took awhile to get the magic meter working right again. I had it upgrading like health originally where you'd get an additional container to use. It took 3 or so melee hits before you saw any feedback onscreen that you were "charging up energy". Since I was reworking the UI anyway, I changed the meter to always be capped at 20, but you upgrade it with "reduced consumption", so now every melee strike builds up the meter.

Flashy, ha.

[kleiba]

Really like the overall art style! But in that last GIF, I think the character looks too busy, like there's too much going on in his outfit.

[nujakujata]

Really like the overall art style! But in that last GIF, I think the character looks too busy, like there's too much going on in his outfit.

Especially with the UI changes, this is more apparent. It may be good to note that many of the components you see can be voluntarily turned off in the player home's wardrobe interface!

[nujakujata]

I'm reworking the levels all straight-ahead-like before Beta 3 is released in a couple weeks.

Many of the levels needed another corridor or two between them to break up the flow and pacing. It has also allowed me to introduce new enemy types and really pace out the balance between rushing to save your friends and exploring the ship for goodies.

The initial airship level has players rescuing their crew mates from one of the Continuum leaders. Originally, the crew was fairly static and didn't provide anything worthwhile to worldbuilding aside from some boring bits of exposition. Now, you discover the crew in different parts of the enemy airship. Some of them have been locked away, awaiting their savior. Others have taken matters into their own hands. These changes made the characters seem so much more alive. Kiana and Huey, pictured below, have broken out of their cells and you discover them mid or post fight. They also showcase some of their personality and their relationship with both the player character and the mechanics. Kiana is your badass blacksmith. Huey is your alliterative training partner.

[nujakujata]

I've been fixing all sorts of things. Most recently I've taken on the following tasks:

- Revised collision detection for walls
- Revised collision detection for floors, fixing the bug that made the player character float above the ground
- Fixed floor, wall, ceiling collision issues throughout Airship Vile and the Rinpoche Player Ship due to new col script considerations
- Cleaned up the Captain's Regalia set, replacing the glove art with a wrapped arm instead of a giant armored gauntlet
- Currently the lightning strike spells, Sky Fang and Gateway, are unaffected by gravity. Attempted to position them both on load and during runtime, but without a simple way of raycasting it seems too intensive to be worth it
- Cleaned up the new floating UI
- Tweaked the bow draw loop as it jittered awkwardly
- Modified tutorial and intro dialogue, keeping it short and simple
- Additional rooms for Vile
- Fixing cutscene camera snap-to throughout Vile
- Additional Soldier enemy type (shield)
- Additional state for Caster enemy
- Nexus levels redesigned
- Updated Crafting UI (new upgrades need to be added and all options need to be organized)

Beta 3, coming soon!

[McMutton]

This looks really cool! I'm always a fan of fast, skill-based combat systems.

One issue I'm seeing is that, since the player character has a rather light-colored palette and the shading is flat, he blends in quite a bit with similarly light backgrounds.

Also, Huey is my favorite.

[Pixel Noise]

This looks very cool - the description and scope sound great, and I like the concept art and screen shots you've shown so far!

For the HUD, though I like some of the stylized options, I think I'm still partial to 2-5, but that may just be the Dark Souls in me speaking, since that's what I'm used to there.

[jctwood]

Lovely to see such nice colours associated with a metroidvania!

[TheArtistJiii]

I'm getting a slight final fantasy vibe. Looks nice.

[SolarLune]

@OP - Yo, sup. I think I agree about the animations looking stiff. I think two of the issues going on is that

1) The timing of the frames appears linear, so it seems like all of the frames of the sword play at the same rate, and
2) There's no "cooldown" after attacks or movements (so the character doesn't look like he's recovering from his movements).

Both of 'em add together to look kinda stiff and "blocky", though you might be right that the problem is the GIFs' framerates. The gameplay itself looks pretty action-packed, which can be good. I like the artstyle and world design, as well (though some more detail in certain areas might be good, though that can come later).

[nujakujata]

This looks really cool! I'm always a fan of fast, skill-based combat systems.

One issue I'm seeing is that, since the player character has a rather light-colored palette and the shading is flat, he blends in quite a bit with similarly light backgrounds.

Also, Huey is my favorite.

I'll be adding an effect to remedy this problem, I'm just not sure which solution I'm going with yet. A slight glow, outline, or another form of differentiation is in the works, though! Here is one example:

This looks very cool - the description and scope sound great, and I like the concept art and screen shots you've shown so far!

For the HUD, though I like some of the stylized options, I think I'm still partial to 2-5, but that may just be the Dark Souls in me speaking, since that's what I'm used to there.

I've got this idea in my head that the HUD is a projection, derived from a device Axis uses for maps, communication, and so on. I want more of a projected image/scan-line display feel. This is what I have now. I've fiddled with a speech bubble looking frame, but without some wobbling and more time devoted to the task it felt awkward.

I'm getting a slight final fantasy vibe. Looks nice.

Lovely to see such nice colours associated with a metroidvania!

Thanks! Definitely inspired by Final Fantasy, but so many other things too. Escaflowne's intro (the movie), Iria, and so much more.

@OP - Yo, sup. I think I agree about the animations looking stiff. I think two of the issues going on is that

1) The timing of the frames appears linear, so it seems like all of the frames of the sword play at the same rate, and
2) There's no "cooldown" after attacks or movements (so the character doesn't look like he's recovering from his movements).

Both of 'em add together to look kinda stiff and "blocky", though you might be right that the problem is the GIFs' framerates. The gameplay itself looks pretty action-packed, which can be good. I like the artstyle and world design, as well (though some more detail in certain areas might be good, though that can come later).

I'll leave this here for now. I believe you are on to something. The command input for combo timing allows you to cut off the end of each slash's animation so it feels more reactive and immediate. I'll be implementing more 'weight' to the follow-through of actions for sure. Thanks for your notes!

[nujakujata]

More updates:



Reconstructed the health system and changed the health component of the HUD. Before, you would start the game with 1 heart and gradually find 4 more, similar to heart container hunting and gathering in the Zelda games. The mana system used to be similar before I implemented the need to 'charge' your magic by attacking. With 'health upgrades' now, you merely improve your defense, which has been integrated into the new damage algorithm for determining enemy attack values. It streamlines the health system and adds a layer of depth to the game's escalating challenge system. While it doesn't give the player a sense of progression, like having 3 hearts or 5, I believe it will be felt more clearly as 'toughening up'. Throughout this process I was able to clean up some code and find a few bugs before they popped up later.



An example of hidden chambers you can find. This one is discovered using one of Axis' abilities, Zenith Sense, that acts similarly to Samus Aran's X-Ray Visor in Super Metroid. Instead of scanning the environment with a cone that strips the masking off hidden items or passages in the walls, it dispels illusions around you. I'll be adding some form of a transition effect eventually. For Beta 3 you can use the Sense ability, but the full release will see it unlocked later in the game to encourage exploring old areas again and scouring the levels for secrets. You'll be able to find Defense and Reduced Mana Cost upgrades, skins, weapons, materials, quests, and other unique items.



I also fixed a bug with the 'getitemslider' UI element. If multiple items were picked up all of the visible components would change their item icon and text field to the most recently acquired item. I had to bypass the way I was instancing the text and icon fields and all was well.

Tonight I'll be updating some of the enemies (shield soldier and more states for the archer) and hopefully getting around to remapping the crafting UI to coincide with all of the updates and the need for categorization.

[nujakujata]

Archers hop.



Forge pops.