Wildkeepers Rising is a new upcoming bullet hell game that merges the frantic gameplay of Vampire Survivors with monster collecting. The game is described as a survivor-like creature collector where players tame whimsical Guardians that fight alongside them to mow down hordes of enemies.
The entire game is hand-drawn with sprites inspired by classic creature games. The art direction and charming creatures, storytelling and art are inspired by the great Akira Toriyama, Hayao Miyazaki, and Jim Henson. As you progress through a level, the Guardian grows stronger and stronger with new buffs and perks added to their inventory.
The constant threat of mobs makes this game a never-ending fight for your life as you’re forever finding gaps to escape, and opportunities to take down large groups and items to help make you stronger.
Wildkeepers Rising is being developed by Lioncode Games. Director Sergio Garces says the twist in the survivor mechanics innovates the genre;
“We’ve seen survivor games adopt some twists since the original recipe, integrating mining, guns, and god boons; Wildkeepers further innovates by adding adorable creature collecting and party synergy to the dopamine rush and replayability of games like Vampire Survivors or Death Must Die”
Art Director Lyle Moore says the game’s art direction has been inspired by his favourite anime and fantasy titles.
“I’m combining cues and inspiration from my favorite anime and fantasy titles to make these monsters as fun and whimsical as I can. Classic arcade beat-em-ups are hugely influential on our character roster as well–we’re a small team, so we’re working hard to create a love letter to our influences that inspired us to want to create.”
Wildkeepers Rising is now available to wishlist on Steam. The game doesn’t have a release date but players can wishlist the project, join the Discord, visit the official website and follow Lioncode Games on X to stay updated on the project.
