Astro Burn makes a big development pivot to add more exciting shoot 'em up action

• Astro Burn, Beyond the Pixel's upcoming debut game, has had a major overhaul
• There's great emphasis on the flashy 16-bit aesthetic and roguelite action
• You'll find an extra level, co-op mode and other additions on release

If you're a frequent reader, then you're likely already familiar with Astro Burn, the side-scrolling shoot 'em up that had big ambitions of being a multimedia property. And while it looked pretty basic back then, Astro Burn has had something of a revamp.

Inspired by positive player feedback and their recent appearance at Steam Next Fest, the folks at Beyond the Pixels have beefed up Astro Burn significantly. I should say beefed up and pivoted in terms of development, with more focus on the roguelite action and a significantly flashier aesthetic.

There's still the same core gameplay that you will have been familiar with if you gave the demo a go. An additional level has been added, bringing the total up to ten, and a two-player co-op mode is sure to add even more meat to the bone of Astro Burn ahead of a planned 

Cat's all folks

I admit I'm slightly sceptical about this big pivot at such a relatively late date. But I would also confess to not exactly being enthused about the original gameplay and content shown for Astro Burn. If nothing else, this new version looks to have a much more coherent design, nicer art and more engaging gameplay.

Beyond the Pixels still have ambitious intentions for Astro Burn, including an upcoming Kickstarter for a potential physical release in a collectible cartridge. As well as collectibles and the aforementioned multimedia plans. And while Astro Burn looked like it could use some polish initially, if this latest revamp is any indication, Beyond the Pixels may just have the dev chops to pull it off.

Speaking of goofy and flashy, though, why not check out some other great games that emphasise all the fun to be had on mobile? Dig into our Gumslinger 2: Dukes and Nukes review to see exactly why that physics-based shooter gets a resounding thumbs-up from us!