AVA and the Half-World is a perspective-switching roguelite with captivating art

I have a soft spot for perspective-switching games, and AVA and the Half-World already looks like one to keep an eye on. While there’s no release date in place, developer Bread Panda revealed the roguelite action game for PC in a trailer that shows off its shooting in side- and forward-scrolling flavors.

The trailer also gives us a peek at the beautiful art that fuels it all, both in its characters and creatures and the colorful world they inhabit.  

In what sounds like a futile affair, AVA’s destiny involves fading away with the rest of the world. With the end all but inevitable, AVA soars through the islands of the Sidereal Riptide, blasting away at enemies, collecting artifacts, and hopefully solving the mysteries that await. 

As the trailer shows, one of the key hooks of that journey is the way AVA can transition from firing away on a 2D plane to blasting forth through visuals akin to classic rail shooters like Space Harrier. From what I can gather, at least, it looks like more of a visual trick that retains the side-scrolling combat on a different plane. However it may work, it’s still a very cool idea that looks great in motion. 

Bread Panda took inspiration from roguelites and adventure games, with the former lending itself to repeat expeditions that play out in unique ways. There’s also the mechanic of collecting artifacts and choosing which to keep and which to return to the Riptide, giving you the opportunity to customize AVA’s fighting style with various weapons and relics. AVA and the Half-World will eventually be entering an increasingly busy space, but I’m keen on seeing how its key gimmick and idiosyncratic design sense play out in practice.