Game News StarCrawlers returns with single character cyberpunk dungeon crawler StarCrawlers Chimera

[Infinitron]

Tags: Juggernaut Games; StarCrawlers Chimera

You might remember StarCrawlers, a sci-fi themed dungeon crawler that was somewhat popular on our forums a few years back. Developer Juggernaut Games has kept a fairly low profile since that game was released in 2017, but in fact they never stopped supporting it (including a graphics update released as recently as this May). Today they're finally ready to unveil their next project, StarCrawlers Chimera, a cyberpunk dungeon crawler set in the same universe. In the StarCrawlers tradition, Chimera will feature turn-based combat and procedurally generated levels, but unlike its predecessor it's a single character game apparently set in a single dungeon, the Chimera BioPharma complex. Here's the game's reveal trailer and the description from its Steam page:

A lucrative offer. A simple job. Infiltrate Chimera.

The Client wants you to enter the Chimera BioPharma complex and find Dr. Cerberus.
Being a morally-ambiguous mercenary type with a unique skill set and a need for credits, this seems like a good idea.

Build your character from a variety of skill trees inspired by the StarCrawlers universe, grab some gear, and jump in. Grow your power and level up to unlock new abilities, gear, and secrets as you fight your way into the Chimera building.

Key Features

• Wage tactical turn-based RPG battles against futuristic enemies.
  
• Procedurally-generated floors provide new challenges and rewards.
  
• Choose your own difficulty mode - with optional permadeath.
  
• 100+ abilities and 25+ skill trees to customize your play style with Muscle, Guile, and Intellect skills.
  
• 20+ different enemy types and rare spawns with unique abilities and loot.
  
• 20+ weapons of different rarities ranging from plasma rifles to carbonite blades to scintillating donuts.
  
• 30+ items of gear to stop your insides from becoming outsides.
  
• More features added with each new content patch!

StarCrawlers Chimera will be out on Early Access sometime next year and its Steam page already has an Early Access FAQ. If the game is anything like its predecessor, it might be some time before the final release.

 

[Koschey]

Hm, the move from party-based to single character-based is somewhat disappointing. And by the sounds of it, they also moved away from a multi mission structure to a single mission structure. I hope that doesn't mean they completely abandoned the corp mechanics; those gave it a cool Shadowrun flair, what with the unique contact persons and rewards, rivalries between corps and so on. Actually would have hoped they'd improve further in that direction, like client and target corps having larger influence on the missions and locations.

But perhaps this time around shields will be useful?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Well, that trailer just showed the whole game. Make it to the giant final Covid Boss generation chambers.

Get the vaccine and save us all.

Honestly, getting Vaporum flashes here.... loosely,

 

[Darkozric]

Yay! Another boring and pointless random level generator. Apparently one it wasn't enough.

 

[Whisper]

Not impressed. I did like Starcrawlers though.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Did they ever make a pvp blobber (which would be way different than your pvp boomers). Hell, pvp party turn-based blobber or tactical would be fine. Oh, i'm sure there are just like pvp rouge-types.

 

[d1r]

This looks like fucking shit.

 

[Agame]

You might remember StarCrawlers

No... I really don't.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Gog gave it away for free some time ago. Lol. Wait and this one will be free as well.

 

[Grauken]

Is this even grid-based anymore?

Anyway, looks like instead of trying to improve upon their first release they took anything out that at least made it unique and doubled-down on the worst aspects for such a game. A single-player turn-based dungeon crawler doesn't exactly seem like a good idea

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Not for that price. Take 90% $$ off and maybe.

Anyway, let doober refresh our memories...

 

[Kruno]

cyberpunk

SOLD!

 

[ShaggyMoose]

Interesting they are moving to a single-character model, given that one of the main strengths of the original game was the fact that no classes were useless and there were compelling interplays between skills.

 

[hellbent]

Is this even grid-based anymore?

Anyway, looks like instead of trying to improve upon their first release they took anything out that at least made it unique and doubled-down on the worst aspects for such a game. A single-player turn-based dungeon crawler doesn't exactly seem like a good idea

My thoughts exactly. First game was fun in short doses if not super deep or challenging. Looks like the 4 person party has been dumped and I can't imagine they'll keep the element of managing various faction relationships in the sequel either, since there's really only one mission and setting this time around, it seems.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

When are we getting a Western Blobber?

 

[Orobis]

"Made with Unity"

Yea that's all i need to know, pass.

 

[Metro]

Looks ok. Fuck the haters. You fags can go jerk off to Cyberpunk.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

That's all the console players can do if they get refunds for it.

 

[Tyranicon]

Looks ok. Fuck the haters. You fags can go jerk off to Cyberpunk.

Have you seen the Cyberpunk thread?

It was such hot garbage we unironically like Fallout 4 now.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

 

[sser]

Starcrawlers was okay for about 10hrs. I find it strange that they'd roll it back to 1-char, but I don't mind if that 1-char has super strong customization. I've always dug the 1-dude trope since Ultima Underworld and could be interesting to see how it is in a sci-fi setting.

 

[Serious_Business]

I liked Starcrawlers, myself, although I wouldn't defend it as a nothing more than an okay blobber. I just had it in for the setting ; it had some really on point writing, too. I suppose you can't accuse these guys of riding the cyberpunk wave (if it's even going to be a thing), they were doing it a while ago

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Could prove interesting

 

[Gastrick]

I liked Starcrawlers, myself, although I wouldn't defend it as a nothing more than an okay blobber. I just had it in for the setting ; it had some really on point writing, too. I suppose you can't accuse these guys of riding the cyberpunk wave (if it's even going to be a thing), they were doing it a while ago

There already was a cyberpunk wave from 2015-2020 riding on the bigger nostalgia wave. Especially with indie games. So you could accuse them of it.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG