Over the years, I’ve been able to check out the game EarthNight from the Cleaversoft team during PAX East. So much so I couldn’t wait to play it again and see what new things and ideas have come to the game itself. What is EarthNight? EarthNight is a hand-drawn action-platformer set during the dragon apocalypse and featured in Nintendo’s Indie World presentation earlier this year along with being shown off at PAX events.
If you’ve been hiding under a rock and have yet to hear much on this game. Keep on reading and enjoy the trailer. While during the builds of the game I played, I mainly played as the female protagonist. However, in the release, the game will feature two players and lots of great levels. If you’re planning to pick up the game as well, the wait isn’t going to be too long as the team has announced the game will release December 3rd of 2019.
Cleaversoft‘s console and PC debut casts Stanley and Sydney as humanity’s last hope. Ever since dragons overtook Earth, mankind has lived in exile on space colonies orbiting the planet. Despite being faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, the unlikely duo—a sword-wielding freelance photographer and a young student blessed with ethereal superpowers—take it upon themselves to reclaim their home by skydiving through Earth’s atmosphere and striking back against the monsters below.
The two heroes approach their dragon-slaying mission with drastically different tactics. Stanley’s powerful legs allow him to make both high jumps and long leaps, while Sydney favors agility by making use of an air dash and double jump ability. Both heroes wield their bespoke skills to overcome hostile environments and push towards the vulnerable heads of their scaled serpentine foes.
Each EarthNight level features procedurally-generated dragons with multiple exits and secrets rewarding exploration. Slaying dragons grants Sydney and Stanley rewards like dragon eggs and other mysterious objects that unlock powerful upgrades. With the right tools, the duo can topple even the toughest opponents while moving through stages at breakneck speeds.
Boasting more than 10,000-plus frames of painstakingly crafted animation, EarthNight’s hand-drawn visuals come from Paul “Mathattan” Davey. Paul “Chipocrite” Weinstein composed the title’s rocking soundtrack, infusing chiptunes created on Gameboy Hardware with real modern instrumentation. The OST is now available on Bandcamp, Apple Music, and Spotify.
“EarthNight represents seven years of hard work from a collective of talented artists and the final product is something we’re immensely proud to share with everyone,” said Rich Siegel, founder of Cleaversoft. “We hope that Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam players are as excited to hurtle back to Earth and slay dragons as we are to watch them.”
EarthNight launches on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam for Windows PC and Mac on Dec. 3, 2019 for $14.99 / €13.99 / £12.59 / $21.00 AUD.
