2021 AwesomeBlade Software
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux (+ potentially others)
In 2021, 8-Bit Apocalypse appeared on Kickstarter as a very cool and interesting indie project from developer Ricardo Jorge. The game was a modern homage to arcade classics and dystopian sci-fi, blending aesthetics of 1980s pop culture with fast-paced action, a deep backstory, and an original synth soundtrack.
The game was essentially to be top down twin stick shooter action game, where players take control of a mysterious lone soldier fighting to survive in a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world ruled by corporate tyranny and crawling with enemies – from mutated beasts to military robots.
The story was set in the aftermath of a nuclear war, where only mega-corporations remained in control. The player would awaken as an unnamed protagonist with no memory of who they were, discovering the remnants of humanity and slowly piecing together a story of resistance, corruption, and lost identity. The developers aimed to deliver not just a game, but an immersive experience, with cinematic cutscenes, a rich lore, and emotional undertones.
Key features planned included:
- Classic arcade-style combat enhanced by modern controls and responsive gameplay.
- Striking 2D pixel art combined with cinematic presentation, hand-crafted animations, and a gritty neon palette.
- A story driven campaign with lore-heavy environmental storytelling and scripted moments.
- Unlockable weapons and upgrades, offering strategic depth and progression.
- A hard hitting, original chiptune/synth soundtrack, arguably one of the project’s standout elements – described by many as worth the price of entry alone.
There were plans for release across PC, macOS, Linux, but eventually consoles too.
A Kickstarter campaign was launched in 2021 with a funding goal of £46,848 aiming to cover the remainder of the game’s development, including hiring a small team of artists, animators, and audio engineers. There were plans for exclusive rewards such as physical game boxes, OST releases, and signed art prints.
Unfortunately the campaign only raised £4890 from 43 backers. Despite clear passion and promise, the project struggled to gain traction. After the Kickstarter, updates ceased, and it appears that 8-Bit Apocalypse has been shelved indefinitely at this stage.
We hope that is not the case, but for now we sadly put this title within the archives in the hope that it does get resurrected one day.
With a regrettably belated thank you to Chris Smith for information and suggesting to cover the title. My apologies for forgetting to originally credit Chris too – not sure what happened, so my apologies again.
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Awesome job on the documentation!
Hi Chris, i’ve just realised I didn’t credit you!! Not sure what happened there, but please accept my apologies. Just fixing that now!!
Right, all fixed – though i’m staggered and disappointed that I missed that when setting the page up. Sorry again Chris and thank you so much for the submission.
This looks like an expanded universe of their released 8BitBoy game. Like the spooky theming.