PAX East 2019: Stumphead Games Reintroduces The Space Invaders Genre With Super Crome: Bullet Purgatory

The bevy of indie titles that release on store fronts tend to redirect the idea of where inspiration truly spawns for their game when presenting it to the public. While some tend to take elements from one game while staying unique to their own world, others embrace their influences and expand on the idea of why they were inspired to pursue the project by adapting the title to the new standard of gaming.

For this article, I look towards Super Crome: Bullet Purgatory. Which stands to be greatly influenced by space shooter Galaga while still gripping its own take on the genre closely to bring a new way to play the pixelated galactic shooter.

Speaking with the one of the game’s developer Josh Jacobs, I had a handful of questions for him on Super Crome and he delivered with insight on what the game is about and more to come following the game’s debut for Early Access.

Q1: What is the plot of Super Crome?

Jacobs: Currently there is no set story for the game, but I plan to add a full campaign mode in a future version of the game. Expecting around 6 – 7 levels for the story. A hub world is also in development for players to visit between levels and to interact with different NPCs that will have new information to share when you enter the area.

Q2: What abilities are present in the demo and are there more planned to be added?

Jacobs: For how players can initiate combat, load outs are planned to come to the game in a coming update with different abilities to assist in space fights along with passive abilities also. Some abilities will differ depending on the player like using the charge shot, the drone, or even the laser based on their preference.

Jacobs also shares that these load outs will be available in both the coming story mode and translate over to the endless mode too.

Q3: What makes Super Crome stand out as its own title compared to what influenced it?

Jacobs: One that helps the game be its own thing is the dash option to doge incoming projectiles. Another being the level up system which is tied to how players unlock more fore their load outs. Generally, this can be seen as bringing “Galaga to the modern era,”

Q4: What has been your favorite part about the game’s development?

Jacobs: Bosses most likely. Like the one in the demo, but one that is really cool is Gojin which has three different parts when you fight him. The last part has to be my favorite is where you keep fighting him and fire starts forming around him for the final battle.

Among the answers that Jacobs was able to give me, he also detailed that fan feedback have been really helpful with working on the game since the game officially debuted on Early Access earlier this month Users asking for certain features that they feel is needed. One specifically being a pause menu that is currently absent in the game that would help collect yourself in a sweaty boss battle. While others gave recommendations for other modes also like a hardcore mode with its own respected leaderboard for more hardened players.

Already discussing the game’s plans and coming content, I asked Jacobs when could we expect the game to leave Early Access and have an official launch. Where he states that it should be a year from now, but still unsure since he said the same thing last year also. Other platforms also have not been discussed for when or if they will receive their own respected version.

Super Crome: Bullet Purgatory is available now on Steam’s Early Access.