The Nintendo Switch[1] has seen its fair share of indie titles and Aegis Defenders is the latest one. Developed by the fantastically named Guts Department, and published by Humble Bundle[2] (yes, the site responsible for those popular deals on games), it’s an intricate mix of action platforming and tower defence that has a retro16-bit aesthetic harkening back to the time when Sega[3] made consoles. Plus there’s cooperative (co-op) play as well. That might seem like an awful lot for game to pull off, particularly one that begun its life as a Kickstarter campaign from a team of students, and so we were keen to check it out.
Aegis Defenders’ story takes place in the world of Elam. The game is steeped with lore. From the deathless — gods that rule over humanity — to hordes of beasts, and its many ruins to explore, there’s a lot going on. Each chapter is punctuated by cutscenes that resemble what you’d expect from 16-bit classics like Chrono Trigger or The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which unfold the narrative and does a good enough job of keeping you invested. All of it is drawn in a hand-painted pixel art style. Granted, we’ve seen similar treatment in games such as the Skatelander (being developed in India), and hits like Hyper Light Drifter, but Guts Department manages to instil enough variety that you never quite feel that you’ve seen this before. From its rocklike monsters to sprawling caverns, every inch of Aegis Defenders feels fresh.
While it scores handily in the looks department, the gameplay holds up too. As you traverse through its 10 hour campaign, you’ll encounter a motley crew of heroes to control during your journey. From...