Krut: The Mythic Wings Achievement Guide - Hack-and-Slash Through a Realm of Magic and Monsters

Krut: The Mythic Wings is a side-scrolling hack-and-slash, a whirlwind of rapid combat and nimble platforming set amid a vibrant and enchanted world. Based on the South-East Asian myth of the mystical Himmaphan Forest, the game challenges players to master a gauntlet of levels overrun with fantastical and exotic enemies.

To unlock all of Krut’s Achievements, you will have to defeat a host of enemies, clear all stages and minibosses, and complete every level of the game on every difficulty - tasks which require tenacity and tight combat skills. Here are some tips to help you conquer even Krut’s most formidable challenges!

The Adventurer’s First Steps

Having trouble getting to grips with Krut, and clearing the first few hurdles? Are those scuttling crabs sending you sprawling in the sand? More than anything else, the game’s developers strove to create an experience which balanced challenge with enjoyability, in the same vein as old-school action titles. They spent more time on character control and actions than any other elements of the game, honing in on a system which is responsive, rewarding and above all, fun.

With fun in mind - if you’re having trouble, don’t throw yourself at Krut’s early challenges again and again, punishing yourself with one of the higher difficulties. Consider changing the difficulty setting. ‘Easy’ is suitable for casual players, while ‘Medium’ and above is the choice for action game fans who yearn for challenges.

Find the setting which suits you best, and you will have cleared those initial hurdles in no time - felling three foes and earning the game’s first Achievement.


Building Your Hero

Clearing all stages and minibosses will earn you the lion’s share of Krut’s Achievements. To complete these challenges, upgrade your legendary hero to fit the playstyle that suits you best.

Beginners may find that upgrading HP and Combos will ease your progress through the game. Honed the combat to a science, and looking to blast through the levels with unrelenting speed? More experienced players might prefer to upgrade Attack Power and Critical Attack, which will increase the chance for monsters to receive Critical damage and be temporarily stunned when struck by a heavy attack. Fully upgrade the this skill, and Critical Attacks will land thick and fast.

Experiment to find the Upgrades which suit you best. Krut: The Mythic Wings is designed so players of any skill level can make their way through the entire game, enjoying the whole experience. Leveling up is essential to surmounting your foes, and bosses are designed so that any time a player becomes stuck on a vexing stage or boss, a few more Upgrades should be enough to shift the odds.


Hard-Hitting Combos

Some of the most elusive Achievements Krut has to offer require players to complete the game on all three difficulties, and to complete a playthrough on Medium or Hard without ever exhausting your lives. Being calculating with your combos is a crucial part to succeeding when attempting to scale these mountainous challenges. Try favoring combination moves ending with a Heavy Attack, for the chance to land one of those Critical Attacks and stun your opponent. Players can then follow up on their frozen foes with further long combos - the fully-upgraded combo is an extended onslaught that deals massive damage.

However, just as important as knowing when to combo is knowing when not to. Sometimes locking your hero into a lengthy series of attacks will leave you open to attacks or counter-attacks from enemies. Think tactically, and always be aware of your enemies’ movements.

With these tips in mind, you will be well-prepared to tackle all of Krut’s challenges and earn every one of its Achievements. The mystical world of warriors and beasts, and blisteringly quick, responsive combat, will challenge and reward tenacious players in equal measure.

Dive into the enchanted realm of Krut: The Mythic Wings now!

Krut: The Mythic Wings will be available on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC (Steam)!

Wishlist on Steam!

Wishlist on Playstation!

Lewis Carroll and Studio Ghibli: How Catie in MeowmeowLand Came to Life

Cats prowl through the history of fiction, lending their feline mischief to countless classic works. Glimpses of gleaming eyes and the rumble of gentle purrs are everywhere, as the little furry companions wriggle their way into novels, movies, and games. The upcoming Catie in MeowmeowLand is a whimsical journey through a mystical feline world, and has its roots in the many cat-centric creations of the past.

The Cattastic World of MeowmeowLand

Tumbling Down the Rabbithole

The year is 1865 and London is the most populous city in the world. The River Thames bristles with sailing barges and rowing boats, drifting in the shadows of hulking half-constructed steamships. In the newly-built London Underground, locomotives propel wooden cars through dark tunnels, gas lamps lighting the way.

It is the year that Britain’s first speed limit is put in place, outlawing blistering speeds of 2 mph in town and 4 mph in the country. Elsewhere in the world, the New York Stock Exchange establishes its first permanent headquarters in New York City. Within a year, dynamite will be invented. Transatlantic telegraph cables have failed once, but will succeed in a years’ time. Wars rage and nations are reshaped.

And in London, the bustling hub of a changing world, a man by the name of Lewis Carroll publishes a timeless piece of children’s fiction, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

One of the best-known pieces of Victorian literature, Carroll’s novel is a classic which virtually everyone alive knows of, and has likely read or experienced through one of its many adaptations. The beautifully written tale of fantastical adventure brings to life enchantingly odd characters and imagery - unique creations that ensnare the imagination and embed deep in memory. Figures like the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, and Cheshire Cat remain cultural touchstones to this day, and have endlessly influenced the fantasy genre and wider popular culture. The fantastic world of Wonderland, with all its absurd eccentricities, is one which generation after generation of children yearn to visit.

The timelessness of this tale has led to countless adaptations. The 1951 film, Alice in Wonderland, was Walt Disney’s 13th animated feature film, and received a surprisingly lackluster initial reception. A considerably more successful 1974 theater re-release cemented its popularity, and in more recent years Disney released the Tim Burton-directed live-action adaptation. Both movies depict the classic tale of Alice falling into the bizarre and lore-rich world of Wonderland, discovering its countless peculiar creatures and characters. 

Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Alice in Wonderland (2010)

The Magic of Studio Ghibli

Over a century patters by. The year is 1985, or Showa 60 in the Japanese calendar, a time of economic prosperity for the country. Japan is about to host the 1985 Summer Universiade in Kobe, as well as Miss International 1985 in the city of Tsukuba. A group of creatives fresh off the success of the 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind join together to found an animation film studio. The legendary Studio Ghibli is born, and founders Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata begin work on the magical films that will inspire a whole new generation.

In just a few years, one of their most acclaimed and iconic films will arrive, in My Neighbour Totoro, the story of two young girls discovering a supernatural world of woodland spirits and wondrous creatures. One of the most striking elements is the Catbus, the gigantic flying cat with headlights for eyes, windows running along its side, and a hollow interior with fur-covered seats. This wondrously bizarre creation ferries characters to and fro, all the while wearing a wide grin uncannily reminiscent of Carroll’s Cheshire Cat.

Many years and incredible animated creations later, 2002 delivers Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returns, telling the story of a girl with a feline affinity. Able to speak the language of cats, she crosses paths with a Prince of the Cat Kingdom, and finds herself invited to his realm. She explores a world filled with absurd and whimsical cat characters, and all the spell-binding strangeness Studio Ghibli is known for.

My Neighbour Totoro & The Cat Returns

The Wonders of MeowmeowLand

The common ingredients of these creations, separated by continents, oceans, and over a century, are manifold - but they will soon share yet another connection. The upcoming fantastical adventure game, Catie in MeowmeowLand, draws upon the rich shared elements of both. It is a love letter and homage to the peculiar creatures and characters of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the fantastical lore-rich worlds of Studio Ghibli.

References to Carroll’s work abound - from a fateful tumble down an animal’s burrow to the appearance of a highly familiar sentient egg, and a furry creature leading the way with a time-piece in its grip. Studio Ghibli fans will feel the thrill of recognition as well - in the creature somewhere between cat and train which carries Catie on her journey, and the wondrous world bursting with eccentric feline characters of every persuasion.

The Cat Train

However, there is a deeper similarity which unifies all of these stories, a common essence that binds them together. A human discovering a world of magic, filled with imaginary creatures. A rich, fantastical world bursting with life, with unique details and characters, and eccentricities waiting around each and every corner. It is about discovering a hole in the reality of the ordinary world, and plunging through it into a spectacular realm of dazzling imagination, of joyous whimsy, and most importantly, of cats.

Catie in MeowmeowLand is a traditional point-and-click adventure game set in a bizarre world of cats and ludicrous characters. Echoing the adventures of Alice, Catie follows a white cat with a pocket clock into her garden, and is swept down a rabbit hole into the world of MeowmeowLand. From there, your task is to solve puzzles and help Catie get back home!

Solve puzzles to help Catie get home, like testing which potions can help you get items you need.

Find your way through the strange land of MeowmeowLand, meeting a host of peculiar characters and solving a series of bizarre and original puzzles that will test your imagination. Sink into a hand-crafted, detailed world, with original music, 24 2D hand-drawn sceneries, and over 100 uniquely amusing characters with individual voices and over 2 hours of animations.

Catie in MeowmeowLand is available now on Nintendo Switch, as well as PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam and GOG!

Blowfish Studios x Aradena Strategic Partnership!

Blowfish Studios is delving into the adventurous throes of high fantasy with Aradena, our newest metaverse blockchain development collaboration! Here at Blowfish, we have a legacy of creating and publishing great strategy titles, including Siegecraft, which topped iPad charts and top 10 on mobile around the world.

Aradena and Blowfish are partnering to pioneer the next generation of blockchain gaming by delivering a complex strategy PvP game with play-to-earn incentives. With all 8,000 of the Genesis Warriors NFT collection selling out in just under 13 minutes, Aradena has had one of the fastest generative avatar NFT sell-outs in history.

Aradena has seen explosive growth due to a heavy focus on community involvement and governance. With key strategic partnerships formed (like the Seedify Fund), and now development underway, big things are in store for the medieval metaverse in 2022.


You can find out more about Aradena here: aradena.io

🐡 BLOGFISH: January 2022! Planets & PG Utility, Blackwind & KungFu Kickball Launch, Steam NextFest & First Look @ Catie in MeowMeowLand!

January has been an incredibly busy month for Blowfish! Between the release of Blackwind and our largest announcement for Phantom Galaxies to date, the Community team have been bustling with energy and excitement for what is to come!

Again, make sure you jump into our Blowfish Server to keep up to date with all the latest development news for Blowfish Studios! If you’re interested in Crypto and NFTs, leap into our Phantom Galaxies server to learn more, or even hop in our Telegram!


Our recently launched Alpha version of Phantom Galaxies has been an incredible success! Over the short span of a few weeks, we have achieved over 🎊 100,000 players that have downloaded and played Episode 1. 🎊 Out of the 100,000 players, over 78,000 have completed the entire Episode, and are poised to claim their Completion Badge NFT for Episode 1!

We are so incredibly proud and humbled by the community and their support. This is an incredible milestone for us, and we have complete faith that the future will herald even more excitement and growth!

More recently, we dropped a huge, very exciting announcement exploring Planets & Utility for the Origin Collection NFTs! To briefly explain…

Planets 🪐

What are Planets?

Planets are special generative NFTs that players can purchase and trade. Each of them will have randomised traits that make them unique. They also have designated coordinates within the Phantom Galaxies universe.

What do they do?

Planets function as a kind of hub or base for players. Each planet will be able to physically accommodate a certain number of simultaneous players. A small asteroid might hold 4 players, where thousands of players will coexist on a large planet. The planet’s utility will increase once the Phantom Galaxies governance token launches. These planets will each receive a set amount of PGToken.

Each Planet is allocated a set amount of Phantom Galaxies Governance token and will award the owner an amount of “PGToken” directly. Once staking is enabled, Planets will emit a ‘Minimum Token Emission’ of PGToken.

How the Planet will function is dependent on the Planet’s Owner – they get to make the executive decisions extending from governance to construction and marketplaces. The owners are able to earn a multiplier on their emission of PGToken up to a set maximum. Earning a higher emission rate will depend on the level of engagement on a Planet. Engagement increases with visits to the planet, the amount of buildings constructed (starfighter hangars, anyone?) and the owner/organisation completing missions.

Want more Planet-Related information? Here is the PG Planet Genesis Public Sale Plan.

The Phantom Galaxies Origin Collection Utility

(Including The long-awaited Hopeful!)

The Phantom Galaxies “Origin Collection” is composed of 4 total Poster NFTs for the Alpha Release of Phantom Galaxies. You can obtain them in the 4 Alpha Episodes being released:

  • Episode 1: Halberd-001

  • Episode 2: Shining Star (Worth 5x Halberd-001)

  • Episode 3: To Be Released (Worth 0.1 ETH, Compensation Victims can claim) 

  • Episode 4: To Be Released (Worth 0.1 ETH)

Collecting all of these will lead to a complete Phantom Galaxies Origin Collection! However, there is a difference between whether you redeem your NFT or leave it unredeemed.

Holding on to these and keeping them Unredeemed will grant you:

Pristine Fleet Mintpass

Pristine Fleet Mintpass

You can burn this for a Pristine Fleet Generative Starfighter!

Redeeming these NFTs can be achieved by completing an Episode and receiving an Achievement Badge. This appears in the form of a tiny, silver shield on the top right of the NFT itself.

A Redeemed Halberd-001 with a Completion Badge

By redeeming the Complete Origin Collection, you will will receive:


Veteran Fleet Mintpass:

Veteran Fleet Mintpass

You can burn this for a Veteran Fleet Generative Starfighter!

These will grant you NFTs as part of our Collector Series!

The Collector Series

Our Collector series do not have any stat-based advantages within the game. However, they will have unique generative designs of varying rarity that will not be seen anywhere else.

  • Pristine Fleet Mintpass: Burn for a Pristine Fleet Generative Starfighter

  • Veteran Fleet Mintpass: Burn for a Veteran Fleet Generative Starfighter

  • Zveta Gene Generative Avatar: Burn for a Zveta Gene Generative Avatar

  • Elpsi Gene Generative Avatar: Burn for an Elpis Gene Generative Avatar

Which brings us into the long-awaited Hopeful NFT Utility…!

Drumroll…


… dadadaa…



.. dadadadada ..

The Hopeful Utility…

The Hopeful are able to burn their NFT for an Elpis Gene Generative Avatar!

These will have greater utility upon the release of Phantom Galaxies! More information will also be released about what these avatars and starfighters constitute.

All of that is very exciting, but even more exciting is toward the future…

  1. Compensation claim on the official website is on track for release in February.

  2. Episode 2 with Mac support is on track for release in February.

  3. Poster 2 conversion smart contract is currently in audit.

  4. Episode 1 Completion Badge smart contract is currently in audit.


Clearly lots more to come, and the fun is just getting started!


The 20th of January saw the launch of Blackwind, our twin-stick, Sci-Fi, platformer shooter! You can pick Blackwind up here!

In celebration of the Launch, the Community Managers Luke and Chan (that’s me!) conducted a live playthrough of the first two hours of Blackwind! Those that attended were able to watch Luke smash an obnoxious amount of barrels (and – let’s face it – everything else, too) while I commentated on his lacklustre shooting skills! Lucky them!

After release, we released a Post-Launch Patch that resolved some of the major issues the Community had encountered so far. Since, there have been significant improvements with:

✔️ The camera
✔️ Voice overs
✔️ Maps
✔️ Bugs
✔️ Drone QOL

Again, thank you guys so much for such a fantastic release, and we hope that you enjoy Blackwind!


KungFu Kickball was released on ALL PLATFORMS on the 10TH OF FEBRUARY!

To celebrate, we sat down with Jonah, the brains, brawn and brilliant coder behind Whalefood Games, and hosted an Ask Me Anything on our Blowfish Studios Discord Server. There, we talked about everything from being a one-man studio to the inspiration behind KungFu Kickball.

Additionally, we are preparing everything behind the scenes for the upcoming KungFu Kickball Community Tournament, where some of the folks in our Discord Server will get the chance to face off against the Grandmaster himself — Jonah!

You can grab KungFu Kickball…


We will be making a feature at Steam’s Next Fest! This will take place on February 21-28, 2022 @ 10AM Pacific! At Next Fest, you’ll experience a multi-day celebration of upcoming games. There are hundreds of game demos, developer livestreams and teams available to chat — Blowfish Studios among them!

There, we are representing two of our exciting, upcoming games… The first of which is:

WINTER EMBER

Winter Ember has been introduced before, as Blowfish’s resident immersive stealth action game. However it hasn’t been introduced quite like this… With a brand, spanking new Cinematic Trailer!

In Next Fest, you’ll be able to catch up with the Devs from Sky Machine Studios as they stream the game and chat with BFS Luke about Winter Ember, it’s development and the processes behind creating a stealth game.

Not only that, but you’ll be able to jump into the stead of Arthur Artorias yourself with a Live Demo! Make sure you jump in, take some screenshots and tag us on our socials with how you enjoyed it!

If you can’t manage to make Next Fest, that’s alright… Because Comic #2 is planned for release on the 14th of February! Keep an eye out on our socials for more information.


Additionally, those Next Fest will get a first glimpse at our newest mystery title…

Forest Grove

Forest Grove is a sci-fi crime mystery puzzler…

Tears stream down the face of distraught mother Mary Kunstimatigard as she recounts the mysterious disappearance of her teenage daughter. After assessing the situation of this missing tech empire heiress, Forest Grove police call a Remote Forensic Investigator to the scene, virtually. Using revolutionary nano-technology, distantly and safely analyze the crime scene to bring answers to light, whether the family wants them or not.

There will be a Live Demo available, and a dev stream featuring our CM Forrest and the Devs! There is also an Ask Me Anything planned on our Blowfish Discord for February 14th!


We are also very excited to introduce an upcoming title…

Catie in MeowmeowLand!

Created in lieu with the ARTillery Dev Team, Catie is a beautiful traditional point-and-click adventure game set in a bizarre world of cats and ludicrous characters!

As Catie follows a strange white cat in her garden she suddenly finds herself in a mysterious world of MeowmeowLand, where she has to undergo a journey to find her way back home. Your task is to help Catie get there!

More recently, the ARTillery devs made an appearance at Steam’s Event “The Big Adventure Event Showcase”, or The BAE 2022! There, Marek Hlavaty, the Head Developer & Art Director from ARTillery, and his associate Natalia Kratochvila lead viewers through the game and explained their wacky thought processes behind creating Catie!

There is still much more to come as we delve into the MeowMeowLand… And we will have more information with community activities very soon!


That’s all for now… See you next month!

- BFS Chan

Everybody was KungFu Kickball-ing!: The Rise of Indie Multiplayers in Pandemic Season

Let’s be real.. If I have to hear one more thing about the Pandemic, I think I am going to spontaneously combust. 

Not only has it made basic things like purchasing toilet paper into a scavenger hunt, it also has stripped us of our ability to just… Exist as humans, and do human-stuff – like having fun with our friends.

While the last two years have taken away a lot, there is a silver lining… A new age of supporting and encouraging the rapid growth of upbeat, indie crossplay games.

 

The Rise of Indie Multiplayer Games

Just scrolling through Twitch, you will more than likely come across an eight-person party screaming “sussy baka!” while playing Among Us. Further down, another group yell at each other while playing Tricky Towers – having a great time with lots of laughs. Upon release, these games are a competitive whirlwind of exploring new controls and missions – all the while desperately trying to beat out your friends.. Friends located internationally – in Spain,  Canada, New Zealand – that, without the rise of lockdowns, you may never have met simply based on geography. It is these upbeat, simple, but incredibly charming games that provide hours of endless entertainment and bring your group together, wherever you may be located.

These games grant you the ability to jump, kick, push, shove and even “kill” among your friends as chaotically as you would like, and KungFu Kickball holds its place among them. Here, there is the added benefit of teamplay – rather than one person versing the entire party, you can work together to pulverize the others, and earn well-deserved bragging rights.

KungFu Kickball (releasing on the 10th of February!) grants an incredibly fun, arcade-like game with very simple parameters – your job is to kick the ball to hit the bell. With animation reminiscent of a chaotic Shaolin Soccer, KungFu Kickball not only offers endless entertainment, but has character-specific perks that make things extra spicy… Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

 

Enter: KungFu Kickball

Playing as The Grandmaster, you are not necessarily as swift as the other competitors but boy, can the old man pack a punch.. The Grandmaster channels his Chi into the Tiger Punch, which happily mauls anything in its way. This character is ideal for slower, tankier players that want to teach their friends how it’s done.. Legacy style.

The King is quite similar to the Grandmaster, although on the spectrum of “slow” and “I’m fast as heck, boi”, he is faster than the Grandmaster but slightly less powerful. This is mostly attributed to the fact he refuses to remove the crown that weighs him down – but what is that saying again? “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”, right? The Monkey King also has an AOE spin with his quarterstaff that knocks over nearby opponents, so he is perfect for any player that wants to move deliberately and with power!

When working with martial arts, it is an unspoken rule to always include The Legend himself – Bruce Lee. In KFK lore, The Legend has been training by dodging falling rocks in volcanoes (as one does). Because of this, he is proven to be incredibly agile and fast – the perfect character for a player who wants to manoeuvre speedily around the arena… And, coolest of all, he wields nunchucks like an absolute pro. But what else would you expect from the Legend himself?

The Drunken Boxer, on the other hand, is as far from coordinated as you can get. This guy has no idea where he is, how he got here, or what day it is – but he is absolutely ready for a smackdown. The Drunken Boxer dribbles the ball closer to the ground (probably because he cannot see very far away in this state, heh). If anyone steps too close, he is able to shoot into the air in a chaotic whirlwind of drunken-ness that will knock opponents away. This character is perfect for players that want to keep the ball close and secure, or they just love the chaotic vibes. My personal favourite by far.

Now, if you really want to play a heavy hitter – that, or you are a fan of KungFu Panda – The Panda is a strong contender. Don’t take this fluffiness for weakness, once you hear the sound of her charging up, you best want to clear the way or find yourself knocked to the other side of the arena! (The move is literally titled “meteor-strike” after all). Panda is best suited for anyone that wants to play a strong defence or an aggressive forward. She is quite slow moving, though, so be wary around the more manoeuvrable players!

Not only does The Sho-Gun have the coolest hairstyle in the game – scratch that, the coolest ‘fit all-together – he has the longest reach out of anyone in the arena. Where other players are stretching to try and get possession of the ball, Sho-Gun is easily able to limber over them and yoink it from their grasp. And even if he somehow misses, his Chi manifests into a move titled “the Shine”, which will send the nearby opponents bursting back with incredible force. The Sho-Gun finds particular stride with ball-hogs, like the Drunken Master.

Now you see The Assassin, now you don’t… She is the speediest character in the game, easily able to outpace any others in the arena. Not only that, but she possesses the highest jump, meaning that she can leap into action swiftly and decisively before anyone else even blinks. Her Chi manifests into a burst of fiery propulsion, allowing her to dash in mid-air to get to the ball before an opponent. The Assassin is suited to rogue-types, who prefer swift, speedy characters.

Finally, The Monk. Don’t let his simplicity fool you, he is the OG KungFu Kickball champion, and has the ambition to back it up. He is – by far – the most well-rounded of all the playable characters, which makes him a perfect fit for anyone who switches between offence and defence, or even for newer players. Plus, he is “going to be the Grandmaster someday”, or so he thinks!

And there you have it folks… KungFu Kickball offers an exciting, easy to play atmosphere with the same competitive energy as the original Super Marios and the more modern Tilting Towers. With international servers, you and your friends can connect anywhere, anytime to jump in and cause some ruckus. And even if your friends aren’t interested, you can easily find more by jumping in and connecting to your local server! 

 

KungFu Kickball will drop on February 10! Pre-Orders are open on Jan 27th to Feb 10th!

You can find a link to the Steam Page right here!

If you like this game, check out some more from our studio here.

Creating Blackwind: Dev Interview

Greetings Blogfishers!

With the release of Blackwind on the horizon, we were fortunate enough to sit down with Manlio Greco, a programmer and the co-founder of Drakkar Dev. You may remember the team from their well-received game, War Tech Fighters.

Blackwind is a top-down, sci-fi, action game that puts you in the shoes of a teenager trapped inside a prototype battle armour suit during an alien invasion. Face off against enemies, cut through their ranks, and fight back in a last-ditch attempt to stop a planetary invasion.

Find yourself a comfortable seat as we discuss what inspired Blackwind, challenges during development, and much more.

The Drakkar Dev team — proudly remote!

[Blowfish] - Hi Manlio! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about Drakkar Dev?

[Drakkar Dev] - The Drakkar Dev team is currently located in Italy with some of its members in Germany and Boston. Most of us are married with children and our hobbies range from playing instruments, reading books, writing, playing video games, drawing, watching movies and binging TV series.

There are many games that our team holds dear and they are a source of inspiration for all our games. Some of these games include Darksiders 1 & 2, The Witcher series, the Batman Arkham series, the Mass Effect series, Shadow of Mordor/War, Ace Combat series and the Crysis series.

[Blowfish] - What were some of the key influences that you drew from when developing Blackwind?

[Drakkar Dev] - In terms of video games, Darksiders 1 & 2 and God of War were the main sources of inspiration, at least for the gameplay. The Alien movies, and Avatar movie played a tremendous role in regards to the sci-fi settings and the storyline. Blackwind is full of references from many other movies, the players will be able to find these easter eggs scattered throughout the game. The design style was inspired by the Japanese anime "Gundam" and was one of the key sources of inspiration for the Battle Frame in Blackwind. 


[Blowfish] - I can definitely see now how those games influenced Blackwind. What part of the development process did you enjoy the most respectively?

[Drakkar Dev] - One of the most rewarding yet challenging features we develop in Blackwind are the finishing moves. We enjoyed thinking of the most brutal actions you could do to an enemy using overpowered battle armor, however they were quite difficult to make because of the close interaction of two characters. 

[Blowfish] - Some of those finishing moves are absolutely brutal! Speaking of brutal, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced during development?

[Drakkar Dev] - Well, the biggest challenge was dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. We're a small team but we had to work remotely for a large part of the development and that was quite hard for some of us.

[Blowfish] - I’m sorry to hear that. There really isn’t an industry that hasn’t been heavily impacted by the pandemic. On a lighter note, what are you most proud of, in regards to the development of Blackwind?

[Drakkar Dev] - We think we did a pretty good job with the hack n slash aspect of the gameplay. We love how it ‘feels’ hitting enemies and destroying objects in the game - it's quite satisfying and addictive. The destructible environments play a big role in that as well because while you're fighting some aliens in a research complex you might find many things have been blown up because of your actions and it's a really fun thing.

[Blowfish] - I wholeheartedly agree! It’s so satisfying destroying everything in your path! Is there any chance of giving us a sneak peek as to what’s next for Drakkar Dev?

[Drakkar Dev] - We'll soon start pre-production for a new project. Something a bit different and with a very intriguing setting. Unfortunately, I can't say anymore than that for now.

[Blowfish] - Ah, well! Thank you for your time, Manlio. We enjoyed getting insight into the brains behind Blackwind. Where can our community find you to stay up-to-date with your future work?

[Drakkar Dev] - You can find us at the following places:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/drakkardev
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drakkardev
Website - http://www.drakkardev.com/

Blackwind: A Homage to High-Stakes Puzzles in Sci-Fi

The hero is sprinting down a corridor... Behind him, we see a flash of a horrid, alien-looking creature. He reaches the closed door in a desperate scramble.. Hits it hard.. But it does not yield.. He looks over and in a moment of tense dread, realises the door is closed… And locked with a puzzle.

Puzzles are a frequently underutilised part of hack’n’slash, high-tempo, Sci-Fi games. It is simply assumed that they slow the tempo unnecessarily, and that they contribute to needless frustration in players. However, as the Drakkar Development team outlined in their creation of Blackwind, integrating puzzles into gameplay is a technique that can actually build tension, encourage creative problem solving and intuitively raise the stakes of gameplay.

Jimmy meeting Blackwind, the prototype AI Battle Frame, and “Best Buddy”.

Running Puzzles in an “Advanced Society” / Sci-Fi

In an incredibly advanced society with complex technology, it is expected that their tools would be bemusing to the regular person. The cognitive dissonance occurs between a player and their player character when what would be assumed as “common technology” for a highly automated, futuristic society, instead appears as a puzzle. More often than not, it simply doesn’t make sense. Why would a protagonist that lives in an advanced society struggle so much with utilising common technology? Luckily, in Blackwind, Jimmy is only a young boy -- with about the same experience in this advanced scientific domain as we have. It means that we meet these puzzles with the same lack of understanding, and an optimistic, maybe naive perseverance that there is “always a way”. For Jimmy, it is because he is only a child. For us, it is because we are determined to finish the game.

Jimmy & the Heroes’ Call

See, when we first meet Jimmy, he has not found his “Heroes’ Call” just yet. He is speaking with his father, reputable scientist and creator of the Battle Frame technology, about how the Artificial Intelligence (AI) found in the prototype Battle Frame known as “Blackwind” could be considered one’s “Best Buddy”. It is only moments later that Jimmy is trapped inside Blackwind and hurled from the Pandora Ship as it explodes. This sense of disorientated loss and confusion, grappling with a new “body” that refuses to let him go, finding himself in a new, barren landscape… Jimmy’s only sense of control comes from an adaptation to his environment. 

At first, it appears impossible that a mere child would be able to survive on this desolate planet. But with the evolving assistance and camaraderie of the Blackwind suit, Jimmy learns and adapts to the new conditions, you learn to adapt as you control the Battle Frame. The Drakker Devs had done so intentionally, designing each level with an increasing complexity. At first, the blades allow Jimmy to destroy useful boxes and the space-jump function grants climbing and jumping to reach new heights. Climbing and leaping quickly become an integral part of navigating the battlefield, and the landscape of the game evolves to include the vertical dimension in play.

Blackwind expanding the dimensions of play.

“Environmental Puzzles Aren’t Just a Gameplay Feature…”

Drakkar Dev team stress that the puzzles are an integral part to plot progression. “Environmental puzzles”, they explain, “aren’t just a gameplay feature. Instead, they are a way to strengthen the storytelling of the game. They express Jimmy's sense of loss from being cast to a foreign planet and his need to find a way to find his father”.

In Blackwind, we find ourselves, at first, putting everything on the line to simply survive. The waves of alien invaders seem almost endless as we duck, weave, hack, slash, climb and destroy our way to safety… A nearby Base. With each successful level completion, each puzzle solved, there is a new sense of confidence in Jimmy. The question stops being “how will I survive?” and evolves into a statement: “I will defeat the hordes of aliens and find my father.”.

We face an ever-changing environment to make use of in play.

New Tools for Complex Puzzles: Weapons, Skills, Drones!

When inside the Base, the puzzles take a break from being the environment themselves and instead become new features, skills and attacks. The “Drone” detaches from the Blackwind Suit and flies under your control, allowing you to expertly manoeuvre around locked doors through ventilation systems. It even has lasers that can devastate your enemies!

Ultimately, puzzles can also add a dynamism that gives the player a nice break from the seemingly never-ending hack’n’slash that comes with protecting a planet against an alien invasion. They outline the truth -- that even this advanced society comes down to basic logic that the common person can unravel with enough time and patience.

Blackwind stands triumphantly as not only a hack’n’slash game, not only a twin-stick shooter, not only a platformer, but as an action and sci-fi game that is able to expertly integrate creativity with tension.

Wishlist Blackwind Now! >>>


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& ON MAC STORE

BLOGFISH: December 2021.. PG Litepaper, Blackwind, Winter Ember & KungFu Kickball Releasing!

Ahoy, Fishers! 

It's been a big few months here at Blowfish Studios. So big, in fact, that we have decided to begin releasing regular updates for all things ✨Community ✨. Forgive us for the lack of brevity of this article, we're moving and grooving very quickly and have a lot of ground to cover!

Our first announcement is that we have three new Community Managers onboarded! Chan (that’s me, hi!), Luke and Forrest are all working hard to engage our communities across all platforms through events, streams and engagement activities. Make sure you jump in and say hi to us in our Blowfish Server and Phantom Galaxies Server! Or even in our Telegram!


PHANTOM GALAXIES has taken off! Within five weeks, our Discord community exploded from 30k to 100k of passionate advocates for our project, and is still rapidly growing. To celebrate, we added a bunch of fun customisations to our Discord Channel and ran an incredibly successful Twitch Ask Me Anything (AMA) with our Founder, Ben!

Check out the updates below in our Phantom Galaxies Twitter Feed!

Phantom Galaxies also dropped our first NFTs, part of the Phantom Galaxies Origins Collection on OpenSea. Those that connected their wallets to our official website before November 22 were given the "Halberd-001”. And SURPRISE! The utility of the NFT is Early Access Gameplay to the Alpha Version of Phantom Galaxies.

The “Halberd-001” NFT, as part of the Phantom Galaxies Origin Collection.

Those who hold the Halberd-001 NFT will be able to download and play the "Trial by Fire" -- Phantom Galaxies' Episode 1. Completing all of the missions in the episode will let you claim a Completion Badge NFT. 

A few days later, the second NFT from the Phantom Galaxies Origins Collection -- "The Hopeful" -- was dropped! The Hopeful role was bestowed upon the first 5k to join our Discord server. These believers were the first to have faith in the Phantom Galaxies project, and this NFT is our "thank you" for being.. Well.. Hopeful!

“The Hopeful” NFT, as part of the Phantom Galaxies Origin Collection.

Finally, and perhaps the most exciting of all, the Phantom Galaxies Litepaper was dropped to the public! The Litepaper is a comprehensive first glance over the mechanics and working parts within Phantom Galaxies. It details lore in the Phantom Galaxies world, Fusion processes, Frontier Space, etc. You can pick up your own copy right HERE.

That is mostly it for December, but there is so much more to come in January! Just a few little snippets include:

  • Additional Origin Collection utility announcement.

  • Compensation proposal.

  • PG Alpha Episode 1 “Trial by Fire” release.


BLACKWIND is one of our upcoming titles in collaboration with the Drakkar Dev team. A fast-paced, action-packed, Sci-Fi platformer, Blackwind pitches you against endless hordes of enemies to stop a planetary invasion. If you're feeling ✧・゚:* curious *:・゚✧*, you can read up on this Playstation article which discusses how the Drakkar Dev team shaped their puzzles to contribute to characterisation and storytelling. 

There is also a Behind the Scenes video for the Drakkar Devs featured below, so you can see the faces behind the magic that is Blackwind.

Blackwind is scheduled to launch on January 20, 2022. 


Within WINTER EMBER, you are Arthur Artorias – the sole survivor of a massacre that devastated your family’s legacy and tore them out of the history books. Thought to be dead, you emerge from exile 8 years later, the faceless man kindled by the flame and seeking vengeance.

Winter Ember is another title that we are incredibly excited about! Not only are we releasing the game early next year, we are also releasing the Comic Series that gives insight into our protagonist's origin story.

We anticipate that all 8 issues of the comic will be released monthly, with Issue #0 dropping on December 20th. The full graphic novel will be released on April 25th, 2022!

You can Pre-Order the Winter Ember Comic Issue #0 with Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, IndieBound and Indigo.


KUNGFU KICKBALL is our upbeat, cross-play friendly multi-player game! Compete against your friends in a fantasy sport that mixes soccer with KungFu action movies. Fly through the air and unleash a flurry of punches, kicks, and mystical arts to overpower the other team and smash the ball into their bell. Every bell ring counts as a point and the team with the most points when time runs out is crowned the winner.

We have experienced a few unavoidable delays in release, but we are now incredibly excited to announce KungFu Kickball’s launch on February 10th 2022!

To celebrate 🎊, we will be hosting a KungFu Kickball Tournament! You can sign up LIKE THIS. In this Tournament, three chosen community members will be facing off against both the BFS Staff and.. Some special contestants 😉. The one community member that manages to dominate their way across three rounds will verse the Grandmaster himself!

More information to come.. You'll hear it first in our Discord Server, but keep an eye on our Twitter too!


That is the catch of the month! See you out there!

- BFS Chan

Blackwind - Devlogs

A few days ago, we announced that Blackwind is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam and GOG, as well as the Mac App Store on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022.

Physical versions lock-on to retail shelves courtesy of Perp Games on Friday Jan. 21, 2022 in European regions with North American copies arriving at a later date.

Blackwind is a sci-fi action-platformer with hack-and-slash combat, from publisher Blowfish Studios and Drakkar Dev.


Now that there’s a date, we’re excited to share with you a compilation of devlogs that the devs have been putting together throughout the development of the game!

If you prefer to watch them on Youtube, you can check the entire playlist here.

Alien Spider

Alien Soldier

Colonial Soldier

Meet the Voice Actors!

Decals Pipeline

Hologram FX

The Battle Frame

Meet the Developers!


Wishlist it!

You can currently wishlist the game on PlayStation and Steam!

Winter Ember - Dev Update - 10th June 2021

Assassins, thieves and rebels rejoice!

We have plenty to update you on regarding our upcoming stealth adventure title Winter Ember. The developers have been hard at work updating critical elements of the game based on community feedback. We can finally give you a sneak peek at what some of these additions bring to Arthur Artorias’ vast array of tools and trinkets.

Controls Tweaks & Updates

  • Full 360 degree camera rotation, New directional movement - Arthur can now stand and run!
    Gain an upper hand in Arthur’s quest for vengeance as players are now able to freely rotate the camera in full and enjoy full directional movement. Now it is even easier to plot your next move as you navigate the cold perils of Anargal. And as much as Arthur loves to squat and crouch, there is no better way to escape capture from guards than to run!

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  • Seamless transition into combat, plus combat speed increased - Arthur can now roll!

    Arthur can now transition into battle as soon as he is spotted by guards. Not only can players get into battle quicker now - Arthur has more speed behind him too! Manage each sword fight more effectively with Arthur’s speed boost, and his newfound dodge ability!

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General Gameplay Updates

  • More aggressive, agile AI behavior - leading to AI that block & dodge more often. The Greater Heaven can now use rifles!

    The team at Sky Machine Studios have reworked the AI System to give players a more varied and intense experience while confronting the legion of enemies awaiting Arthur in Anargal. But don’t feel too comfortable with creating distance from guards, however - the Greater Heaven can now shoot on sight with their shiny new rifles! Thankfully, they'll need to reload after each shot - so make the most of it.

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  • Dogs can easily sniff Arthur out, and Civilians will react to Arthur - and alert nearby guards!

    Boxes are no longer a source of reprieve when sneaking the ground when guard dogs are on your trail. Despite what the old saying says, dogs are not Arthur’s best friend. And be careful where you brandish your sword - the citizens of Anargal will flee from any sign of hostility, making it that much harder to sneak through undetected.

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This is merely a taste of what we have in store for you as we get closer to launch. We will have more to say in regards to a release date soon, so be sure to wishlist Winter Ember to stay up to date with the game’s progress.

Until then, keep your blades sharp and your wits sharper still!


Wishlist it now!