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[maxcriden]

KS link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1790351976/virus-0

VIRUS is our debut project. It is a 2D action platformer inspired by games in the Mega Man tradition, but with new features, new stories and new weapons. You move through the game in the classic sense by running, dashing, jumping, and firing your weapons, but we take a fresh approach to the classic gameplay you may be accustomed to, including a stacking feature that allows you to quickly plow through a wave of enemies in one fatal blow.

VIRUS will have semi-linear progression. Stages will be completed in a certain order, however there is an open zone that you exist in between stages, and you can go back to any of the completed stages at any time. There will also be side missions that you can complete optionally at any time, though some might prove difficult without proper equipment or upgrades

Some .gifs:

 

[spats]

Starting to get a bit fatigued with pixel platformers. Best of luck to the developers though!

 

[Paskil]

I mean, both the top and bottom picture look like they could have been lifted from Mega Man X.

 

[KojiKnight]

I mean, both the top and bottom picture look like they could have been lifted from Mega Man X.

Yeah, there is inspired by and then there is roughly copying art direction 1:1... Those lamps in particular....

 

[TimmiT]

Oh wow, they just straight up copied Sigma for the villain.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Are the two enemy gifs color-reduced? They look different than the screenshots.

 

[Comet]

Yeah, there is inspired by and then there is roughly copying art direction 1:1... Those lamps in particular....

I think it's different enough, just a similar motif

 

[TheSpoiler]

So MMX had a Skrillex haircut underneath that helmet the whole time, huh?

Faaaaaaaar too close to the original for my liking, which really just makes me want to jump in the source material instead of this game.

 

[Dr. Buni]

Starting to get a bit fatigued with pixel platformers. Best of luck to the developers though!

Same.

 

[emb]

I haven't tried it, but apparently you can play the early version:

You can download and play the alpha prototype of VIRUS here.

From scanning the page, I gather that it looks like a pretty safe Mega Man game. Nothing horrible about that, though definitely not enough for me to back a digital game. MM is a good mold to build from though, hopefully it works out.

Also, might as well add this gif from the page to this thread:

 

[lazygecko]

Probably as close as you'll get to the 16-bit X9 everyone wanted but will never happen.

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Yes. More of that please.

 

[Prevolition]

This all seems a little strange. Virus? Texas? A developer who looks like Dr. Light?

 

[curb]

Oh wow, they just straight up copied Sigma for the villain.

They seem to have straight up copied a lot of things.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Yeah, there is inspired by and then there is roughly copying art direction 1:1... Those lamps in particular....

The main character is made of edited Megaman Zero/ZX sprites.

 

[Justified]

Oh wow, they just straight up copied Sigma for the villain.

And Kyosuke from Rival Schools.....lol j/k. Good Luck to these Devs

 

[KojiKnight]

I'm all for 'spiritual successors' and 'inspired by' games, but this just looks a tad too derivative.

As TheSpoiler said...

...which really just makes me want to jump in the source material instead of this game.

Hmm...

The main character is made of edited Megaman Zero/ZX sprites.

Now that you mention it, that pose is straight up MMZ isn't it? And my interest went from zero to negative really fast.

 

[sn00zer]

Jeezus H...if I see another pixel 2d platformer that either touts metroidvania or inspired by megaman im going to lose it

 

[me0wish]

Love the effort put into the sprites, but the art is generic and boring, the shooting doesn't look satisfying. This looks very promising, but not promising enough for me to support especially with that price.

Wish them best of luck.

 

[maxcriden]

Jeezus H...if I see another pixel 2d platformer that either touts metroidvania or inspired by megaman im going to lose it

sn00zer pls

All the cool Kickstarters are touting Metroidvania *and* Mega Man inspirations!

 

[Stone Ocean]

Now that you mention it, that pose is straight up MMZ isn't it? And my interest went from zero to negative really fast.

It's even worse when you look at the character besides the enemies, they're very clearly from two completely art styles.

 

[KojiKnight]

Wonder why they decided to put Virus in Katakana above the title when it's not Japanese nor Japanese developed in any way (and doesn't seem to be intentionally aiming at a Japanese segment of gamers).

 

[DiipuSurotu]

VIRUS is our debut project.

 

[tsab]

That's no MegaMan. That's MegaGirl

Spoiler

MegaWant

 

[butman]

This is a rip-off and lack of originality. Not gonna bake.

 

[dark10x]

Wonder why they decided to put Virus in Katakana above the title when it's not Japanese nor Japanese developed in any way (and doesn't seem to be intentionally aiming at a Japanese segment of gamers).

I've seen people mention this before and it does seem a bit silly but the reason seems pretty clear; they're trying to evoke the feelings of a Japanese designed game. It's not there for any practical purposes, it's just an attempt to emulate the look of something else.

It doesn't bother or offend me but it is kind of stupid.

 

[Ragnorok64]

Those enemy designs, and that action shot are looking crazy similar to Azure Striker Gunvolt.

 

[TheSlySoul]

I am loving the art style, but I will buy it after it gets a release. Too many good ideas go canceled and your money is gone.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

Really like the look.

Looks really cool actually.

 

[samurai1226]

I dont get all that pixel 2d indie games. I really cant see that look anymore, it just has that feeling of its cheaper and lazier than doing a great 1080p 2D artstyle like Rayman.

 

[Jashobeam]

This is a rip-off and lack of originality. Not gonna bake.

yup, just like that total Contra ripoff that someone posted last week. Not hating on indie devs, but there is a point when your game isn't paying homage anymore but just straight out ripping off the entire game.

 

[VLiberty]

Vita too:

You get the game on your platform of choice. Our planned platforms upon release are PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Vita, XBox One, and Wii U.

Anyway, this almost looks like a reskin. Reminds me of that kickstarter game which re-used Castlevania sprites...

 

[Bomber Bob]

Art is kinda cheap but ok

 

[Roubjon]

I dont get all that pixel 2d indie games. I really cant see that look anymore, it just has that feeling of its cheaper and lazier than doing a great 1080p 2D artstyle like Rayman.

Good pixel art is not cheaper or lazier than traditional animation. Getting a mediocre artist and mediocre animators is what is cheaper.

 

[Shizuka]

Is that a female protagonist?

 

[Shredderi]

The graphical style and look is right up my alley as a megaman x/zero fanatic, and I don't even mind that the characters etc. are very heavily inspired by other great games, but the main characters sprite does seem very familiar. Hopefully the game can differentiate itself enough in the gameplay department. I get why some people are getting tired of the 16-bit sidescrollers, but I can't get enough of them!

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Is that a female protagonist?

Well, female robot.

 

[Shadowhaxor]

Argh, not another good quality kickstater project. After backing at least 12 so far, I'm getting tapped out. *Thats the wallet talking*

This looks good, I want this and will kickstart it!

Wallet: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dr. Buni]

Wonder why they decided to put Virus in Katakana above the title when it's not Japanese nor Japanese developed in any way (and doesn't seem to be intentionally aiming at a Japanese segment of gamers).

Rule of cool.

 

[Saro]

The enemies remind me of Gunvolt...

I have been looking for a more megaman X game play style though.

But really, this game looks a bit copied

 

[SerTapTap]

Probably as close as you'll get to the 16-bit X9 everyone wanted but will never happen.

Mega Man Zero and ZX series are probably a lot closer, though largely ignored for no good reason.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

yup, just like that total Contra ripoff that someone posted last week. Not hating on indie devs, but there is a point when your game isn't paying homage anymore but just straight out ripping off the entire game.

I kind of feel like this. I've backed some games which have been remarkably similar to their inspirations (Ghost Song, Cosmic Star Heroine, Midora), but I'm growing tried of this, which as you say is less like tributes and more like plagiarism.

 

[JordanN]

With all these Mega Man clones, you'd think Capcom would finally bring him back. Hahaha.

Spoiler

:/

 

[oneida]

editing existing spritework is one thing, asking people to pay you for it is another. would've liked to have seen more effort put in the spritework to differentiate it from the source material.

 

[DrZeus]

Looks decent. I'm anxiously waiting for indie devs move to 64 bit style games.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Looks decent. I'm anxiously waiting for indie devs move to 64 bit style games.

Check out A Hat in Time and Lobodestroyo.

 

[Justified]

Looks decent. I'm anxiously waiting for indie devs move to 64 bit style games.

The Girl and The Robot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMdH3yLx8r8&list

 

[lazygecko]

I just saw that voice acting is one of the stretch goals..... why would you do that? That's probably one of the last things MMX fans would want tacked on to their retro experience.

 

[DMiz]

Yeah, a lot of the art-style matches X and Mega Man Zero (especially with the firing animation).

Will cautiously watch this, but with Mighty No. 9 already backed, I have less interest in doing the same for this project.

 

[Dr. Buni]

The Girl and The Robot

Wow this one looks nice !