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Press release:
OCTOBER 15, 2019 — Everyone’s favorite European indie publisher — Headup, announced today the PC release of their retro-themed Metroidvania game “Outbuddies” on Steam and GOG.

The game, developed by Julian Laufer, features elements of the popular “metroidvania” genre, where players will, with the help of their robot sidekick Buddy, dash, dodge, and blast their way through danger-filled 2D side-scrolling levels, all packed with deadly features — from roving enemies to lethal security systems.

Never fear, however, as the player is armed with a variety of weapons and equipment to help them bypass and battle through these dangers.

Outbuddies will be available today at 8pm BST for Windows PC. Due to a 15% release discount, the initial price on Steam and GOG will be €15.29 and £12.74.

In Outbuddies, players enter Bahlam, a sunken city of the Old Gods, located deep in the South Atlantic Ocean. Following a shipwreck, adventurer and maritime archaeologist Nikolay Bernstein regains consciousness 36,000 feet under the sea. He’s severely wounded and unwillingly connected to a supernatural Buddy-unit.

Searching for answers about his displacement, the main protagonist digs deep into the lost Undercity, gradually realizing an ominous presence hiding in its shadowed caverns.

On your journey home you will share your fate with a friendly tribe of mining creatures, the Wozan, who fear the Old Gods and strive to release themselves from 5,000 years of enslavement.

Some of them were able to flee and founded secret colonies deep inside the sunken ruins, while others are still exploited by the hostile creatures that have overtaken the city since the Old Gods suddenly disappeared.

Outbuddies features a highly skill- and mechanics-based progression system, both in terms of combat and platforming abilities. Each of the game’s four upgradeable weapon systems is also an essential survival tool, that has to be chosen wisely in order to stand a chance against Bahlam’s various traps and unforgiving foes. Bosses require split-second reflexes and profound memorization of attack patterns to stand a chance.

The local Co-Op option invites a second player to explore and experience Outbuddies together by taking control over the invincible “Buddy” unit. In this mode, players support each other on the journey home, solve puzzles and overcome Bahlam’s hostile maze. The cooperative mode is perfect for fans of speedrunning style play, too!

About Headup
Headup is a hybrid games publishing and development company providing players worldwide with the best content in the independent gaming sector. Established in 2009, it is active on all major platforms such as consoles, mobile devices, and PC, and was awarded “Best Publisher” at the German Developers Awards in 2012, 2013 and 2017.

With over 80 million customers served on mobile and further several million players on the PC and consoles, Headup is always looking to raise awareness and commercial success for developers thinking outside the box. More information can be found at headupgames.com.

About Julian Laufer
The development of Outbuddies started as a spare time passion-project in early 2013, influenced by timeless classics of my childhood starring Super Metroid, Castlevania, Super Mario Bros., and Mega Man.

The quality, depth, and acceptance of indie metroidvanias like Axiom Verge & Hollow Knight proved what can be achieved by small teams or even single persons. Those developers inspired me to allocate even more personal resources and dedication to the project so it could eventually evolve into something really special.

As a father, daytime employee, and gamer myself I loved how progression and iteration were tackled in outstanding indie platformer Celeste, so Outbuddies was designed to provide challenging and encouraging gameplay while skipping punishing throwbacks and grinding mechanics in total.

I listen to feedback and I’m dedicated to support and improve the game further after release, so shoot me your feedback anytime!