Antibody - Steam Next Fest Press Release
“You Are The Cure”
A spiritual successor to Williams’ Defender, Antibody is a modern shoot ‘em up full of nail-biting strategic action, constantly forcing the player to make quick decisions, difficult choices and big sacrifices. Taking place inside of a living planet, the game offers a fresh take on a video game classic.
During Steam Next Fest June 2022 only, a special demo version of the game will be available. The demo will feature content that’s never been playable before, including a new level, new enemies and a second playable ship.
Gameplay
In Antibody you blast your way through waves of viroids on a dangerous journey to the heart of Sanguon.
While fighting to contain the viral outbreak and protect your Chonkler companions, you encounter treacherous environments, deadly enemies and enormous boss fights.
The player (SRNG) is getting chased by a boss
The enemies in Antibody are all based on different viruses, each behaving radically different from the other. Some attack the player or their Chonklers, some corrupt the environment and some do both. It’s not always enough to evade their attacks and return fire: to make it through Antibody, you have to exploit your enemies' weaknesses.
Beta gameplay - the player uses a Chonkler to cleanse the environment.
To cure Sanguon, you will need to deploy your trusty Chonklers. These fuzzy creatures have the ability to siphon corruption and heal the planet. However, even the most loyal Chonkler can be infected. The enemy will do anything to turn your companions against you. Defend them, or Sanguon is lost.
Not only does less corruption mean fewer enemies will spawn, your Chonklers also have the ability to convert corruption into upgrades for your ship.
SRNG; no upgrades vs. fully upgraded
Do you add a shield or increase your firepower? Do you go for a quick speed boost or do you save up for additional powerbombs?
The game offers the choice between three ships (SRNG, P1L and SC/PL), each with their own stats and upgrade path. Antibody gives you the flexibility to determine your own playstyle.
These elements come together in a challenging, dynamic experience: enemies with unique characteristics force you to constantly keep an eye on your surroundings and adapt your tactics. Even the smallest enemy can cause trouble for you and your Chonklers. Antibody offers engaging gameplay that remains fresh and exciting.
The ‘shmup’ is one of gaming’s most classic and pure genres, and has challenged players since 1981 to recognize patterns, maneuver with dexterity and improvise constantly. What has mostly disappeared however, is the mechanic that gave Defender its name: protecting defendees. With Antibody, we wanted to bring this mechanic back in a big way.
Steam Next Fest Demo
Since Antibody’s announcement, a free demo version of the game has been available to download on Steam.
For Steam Next Fest June 2022 however, we are releasing an exclusive version that, aside from various gameplay and performance improvements, features content that has never been playable before.
Antibody’s second level, “Stomach”
The demo will show off the second level of Antibody, which takes place inside Sanguon’s stomach and features a nail-biting chase sequence with a huge level boss. It also shows off never-before seen enemies. The difficulty balancing of the level has been adjusted especially for the occasion, to be more accomodating to newcomers.
P1L
Steam Next Fest also marks the first time that the P1L, Antibody’s second playable ship, will be selectable ingame.
This ship’s main weapon, enzyme pulse, cuts through opponents with ease and grows over lifetime, making it possible to destroy many viroids in one shot. The P1L compensates for being slightly slower than SRNG with its motion-sensor mines. These can be used to protect Chonklers or important spots on the level. We hope players will enjoy exploring the capabilities of Antibody’s slow-but-powerful ship type.
Finally, we have included a small tutorial level, which explains some of Antibody’s more unique gameplay mechanics.
PunchButton Studios
PunchButton Studios was founded by four students at HKU University of the Arts. Initially bonding over playing and discussing videogames themselves, PunchButton truly believes in video games as a way of bringing people together. They aim to create games that invite players to enjoy and discuss them with others. Games should be deep enough to keep talking about and returning to, but with streamlined mechanics that won’t alienate newcomers.
Audio
The music and sound design of Antibody is created by Bas van Win and Jeroen Jaspers of Nozem Audio. They approach the game like a collection of scenes. The music isn’t based on specific genres, but on what each scene needs. This results in a coherent yet varied soundtrack that reacts to what’s happening on the screen.
For instance, the timbre of the instruments will change as the environment becomes more infected. Additionally the sound design of Antibody plays with the contrast between living and nonliving. The Chonklers sound organic, the ship on the other hand sounds mechanical, while the Viroids are right on the edge. The audio of Antibody reflects the complex, mysterious planet and the constant threat that the player is under.
