It’s true that you could just download an emulator, load up some games and play some classic old-school Japanese shoot’em ups instead of playing Xydonia. But I do have to say that the amount of time that indie devs Breaking Bytes put into this game is pretty impressive, especially for it to be a small team of three who managed to put their project on Steam Greenlight.

Developed with careful precision that mirrors old shoot’em up games, the devs capture the essence of R-Type, Darius, and Gradius nicely enough that it hits with nostalgia. The trailer even starts up like those old games with the RAM check and the cross grid after start up, which is pretty cool. Aside from the aesthetics, the game’s description reads:

“In the year 30XX, technology has made space travel an accessible feat. However, the legacy of planet Xydonia’s inhabitants still remains a mystery to this day. Countless adventurers and opportunists ventured in search of the remains of this ancient civilization and its homeworld, but none of them lived to tell the tale.”

Packing in the 16-bit arcade design, it challenges players to dodge bullets and lasers with hard-hitting power-ups that help alter the ever dangerous odds. To be made by three arcade junkies, I got to say that they did a nice job with the music and gameplay, although there are a bunch of J-shoot’em ups out there.

Furthermore, there will be more stages than just the one shown below. Speaking of stages, more can be unlocked by destroying objects, finding secrets and getting high scores on missions. This will also unlock better weapons and more characters. You can check out the Alpha trailer below.

Like other 2D space shooters, you will be able to snag upgrades that will raise your chance of getting the almighty “S” rank. Like in most games, the S rank can only be achieved through completing stages perfectly to obtain better or special gear.

As of now, Breaking Bytes’ Xydonia is on Steam Greenlight and is seeking votes. If you want to help support the game you can head on over to its page on Greenlight, or you can learn more about the devs and game by heading to IndieDB.com.