Cosmonator blends top down shoot-em-up action with a deep RPG-style progression system to create a highly addictive old school arcade shooter with lots of depth.
Cosmonator isn’t quite a bullet hell shoot-em-up (although there are sections where the screen will be filled with bullets), it’s more of an old school wave based vertical shooter that gives you space to breathe (but will still punish you for your mistakes). You control the Cosmonator; the sole survivor of earth after an alien attack who sets out to avenge humanity, and does so by blasting any aliens stupid enough to get in his way.
The retro shoot-em-up action is great fun, but it’s the deep RPG style progression system that really gets you hooked in Cosmonator. Unlike most other shooters, you don’t upgrade your weapons by collecting power-ups during gameplay, instead you earn cash during each level which can then be used to purchase permanent upgrades from the shop between levels, and there are a LOT of upgrades to unlock!
In Cosmonator there are over thirty pieces of equipment that can be upgraded through several levels via the shop, including missiles, side-ships and drones. There are also over forty unique spells that can be equipped and upgraded through several levels too, such as fireballs or slow motion. The ability to permanently upgrade your ship with the cash you earn during each level is a very satisfying reward loop that can get pretty addictive as you slowly turn your ship into a heavily armed alien killer.
Shoot-em-ups can be great fun to play full of intense bullet dodging action, but their arcade style gameplay can feel a little shallow at times. Cosmonator addresses this issue and then some, providing old school arcade-shoot-em-up thrills and a deep RPG-style progression system. A very impressive RPG-em-up!
Download The Cosmonator Beta Here (Windows)
Played this and it is so much fun! When will the full version be available?