Nano Squadron

It is dead. Not a single word from the dev since release. Technically it is complete, but in fact there is lack of content.

With survivor games, you can forget about the story and focus purely on fast-paced action. The first thing you’ll do is pick your space fighter from a surprisingly solid selection. Naturally, only two are available at the start, while the rest stay locked until you put in plenty of runs or reach certain milestones. Progress is measured pretty simply through how long you survive and how many bosses you manage to defeat. Each fighter has its own visual style, but more importantly, every ship comes with a unique special skill and a couple of perks that set it apart from the others. You can also equip your craft with two guns. Just like the fighters, only two weapons are available initially, while the rest unlock over time through continued play. Once you’re satisfied with your loadout, you’ll jump straight into a stage that’s always the same except for some visual differences. Thankfully, despite the space setting, the game doesn’t force you to wrestle with heavy physics-based movement where momentum keeps pushing you forward while turning. To keep frustration to a minimum and let you focus on the action, you can switch to more standard controls. Your ship still has a bit of weight …

In both feel and sound, especially the musical score, this game makes me feel like I'm back in my youth again. Not that is looks or sounds like those game do now, but how you rem,ember them. The premise is simple, fight for your life against swarms of enemies until the boss comes to take you out, but there is beauty in that simplicity that just plain works. Throw in progress based unlocks of both ships and weapons, and there's a lot of fun to be had here.

I love the game, it's a delight to play. It manages to blend roguelites with bullet hell titles, while also not being too difficult. And it's priced very well for what it is, too.

Solid roguelite space shooter! 🚀The shield management mechanic keeps you on your toes, and the ship evolution via nanobots feels very rewarding. Controls feel smooth and responsive, whether you use auto-fire or twin-stick mode. If you like roguelites and space arcade games, definitely give this one a shot!

This is such a fun game! I got sucked into it so quickly and the next thing I know an hour is gone! The graphics are really cool and I am impressed with how many ships there are to play to get. The upgrade shop has so many options, too, that you can play for hours and get a different experience each time. You get a lot out of the game for this price point as well. Really impressed!