Inspired by animators like Xiao Xiao and sites like Stickdeath.com, developer Bomb Shelter Games announced that they’re working on a title called Ballistick and it’s due for release on October 15th later this year.

The developers released a short minute and 48 second trailer showcasing some of the gameplay mechanics for Ballistick, as it sets up the story as a typical company man attempting to escape from an organization of killers. Things turn bloody… fast. Check it out.

At first I thought this was going to be one of those silly MS Paint shooters, but the stealth mechanics look solid, the ability to go in with a knife and take guys out silently is pretty cool. It’s also a nice touch being able to wall-hug and blind fire. It seems to be a feature slowly disappearing from first and third-person shooters (thankfully it’s still present in Gears of War 4).

One of the more unique elements of Ballistick is that you have to manually reload your weapons. It’s not automatic. You also have to keep track of your bullets and avoid being killed in the process.

One of the core elements of the game is choosing to either go in stealthy or go in guns-a-blazin’.

The developer plans on putting out a demo to help convince some gamers who feel as if it “has no place” in today’s marketplace. Steam user SnackerZ wrote…

“Stickmen videos were awesome back in the 1990s and the late 2000s, but, thats about where they ended, late 2000s. Things like this should really stay in the past, These type of things dont age well specially when brought up out of nowhere and theyre usually seen as lazy, and a october release for a stickman game that is flash-game-site worthy is obsurd. [sic]”

I don’t really agree that any game using a dated art-style “has no place” on Steam or any other digital distribution outlet. If stick figures and smooth animations are attached to solid, fun gameplay, then it doesn’t matter what the art-style is like.

Nevertheless, gamers who do want to see Ballistick on Steam have requested for more guns and gadgets, because they want to cause more mayhem and destruction. I can definitely understand where they’re coming from. Right now the game only has 10 different weapons and gadgets to choose from, including snake cams, claymores, ECM jammers and grenades, but I would love to see a more pistols, assault rifles and heavy artillery in there as well.

If you think Ballistick is interesting enough to suit your tastes and you believe this game has a right to be on the Steam store, you can share an upvote over on Steam Greenlight.