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Press release:
TOKYO – Sept. 28, 2022.
The Tokyo-based (Japan) indie games developer Phoenixx and Yokohama-based (Japan) indie games developer Neotro Inc, are today very happy and excited to announce that their nightmarish twin-stick shooter “NeverAwake” is now available for PC via Steam! (the PS5/PS4 and Nintendo Switch version is set for a release on January 19th, 2023).

Guide Rem, a small girl trapped in an endless sleep, through visions from the darkest corners of her mind. Shimmy between projectile patterns fired by disturbing, hand-drawn representations of Rem’s fears, manifestations of vegetables, dogs, classmates, and more as grotesque creatures.

Overcome fear with ferocious firepower through more than 80 levels demanding fast-paced precision. Shoot back with combinations of twin-stick weaponry paired with accessories and upgrades bought with the souls of defeated enemies.

Try to defeat foes on the first loop of each level, with each further loop posing further risk of failure. However, souls earned don’t disappear on death, giving Rem the chance to afford the weaponry she needs to break free.

However, Rem’s freedom won’t come easily, with more than a dozen bosses trying to keep her shackled in eternal slumber. Perform well and discover secrets leading to multiple endings, in this white-knuckle experience bestowed the Vermilion Gate Award (Grand Prize) at Japan’s most prestigious indie game event, BitSummit X-Roads.

Available on Steam alongside the game are the official NeverAwake “Nightmare World Art” digital artbook, and the soundtrack. Neotro enlisted YonYon, a Seoul-born, Tokyo-raised DJ, singer-songwriter, and producer to create the official theme “AWAKE”, streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.

“When I heard about this project, I wanted to make an emotional song for the ending theme,” said YonYon.

“I tried to capture in the lyrics the main character Rem’s feelings as she overcomes her many traumas toward the end of the game, as well as her changing feelings toward her friends and family, and her realization of how important it was to spend time together and support each other.”

NeverAwake releases today on PC via Steam for $19.99 with a 15% launch discount, with support for English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese language text. Also available today are the “Nightmare World Art” digital artbook for $7.99, and the NeverAwake soundtrack also for $7.99. A bundle with the game, artbook, and soundtrack is available for a 15% discount on top of the launch discount.

Versions of NeverAwake for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4|5 arrive on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, with physical editions set to release in 2023.

For more information, visit the official NeverAwake website, and follow Neotro Inc. on Twitter

About Neotro Inc.
Neotro Inc. is a Japanese independent game development company based in Yokohama with a particular affection for arcade games and has previously released the 2D fantasy side-scrolling shooters VRITRA Complete Edition and VRITRA HEXA for exA-Arcadia. By bringing two words “Neo” and “Retro” together, Neotro Inc. chose their name to follow the saying “OnkoShuin”（温故知新, which translates to “learning from the past” and “carrying old wisdom to create new.”

About Phoenixx
Established in 2019 by industry veterans, Phoenixx aims to support innovative and creative developers from Japan and around the world. Its mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one creator, one game, and one community at a time.

To learn more, visit the Phoenixx official website, Phoenixx Facebook page, and follow @Phoenixx_inc on Twitter.