A new Strider game is in development, Capcom announced during its “World of Capcom” games panel at Comic-Con in San Diego.
Developed in collaboration between Double Helix Games and Capcom’s Osaka studio, the side-scroller is set in the year Meio: 048, on an alternate dystopian future of Earth suffering under the oppressive rule of the “mysterious and omnipotent” Grand Master Meio. As Hiryu, the youngest ever recruit to attain a Special A-Class in the “hellish” Strider training program, players are tasked with eliminating Meio.
Players will travel the “expansive metropolis” of Kazakh City, described as “a mix of ornate Russian architecture and hard-edged futuristic high-rise buildings with sprawling energy cables and pipework.” You can freely explore the city and gain new abilities and items, which “open access to a truly expansive interconnected game world beyond.” You’ll perform “breakneck acrobatic jumps and mid-air flips” while slicing through enemies using Hiryu’s indestructible “Cypher,” a plasma weapon that can take on a number of properties. You can also use the climb sickle to gain the high ground and hit enemies with a surprise Kunai attack, or call on allies for support.
Capcom describes the game’s level design as “non-linear,” allowing for “incredible exploration” and providing a “rich open world.” It promises to offer the series’ hallmark fluid, fast-paced combat and free-flowing traversal. The original Strider and Strider 2 developers are the game’s main designers.
The enthusiasm for Strider series protagonist Hiryu has remained high for years, Capcom said. Fan demand, via outlets like Capcom Unity surveys and forum posts, helped make the game a reality.
Strider will launch via digital download in early 2014 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
View the first screenshots at the gallery. Watch the debut fotage below.
