As the first game from Australian developer Bit Dragon, Hyper Jam promises to be a fast-paced, arena brawler, dubbed “neon-soaked,” with a synthwave soundtrack that’ll have you feeling like you’ve been teleported to the ’80s. The game focuses on high-speed combat, utilizing a vast array of weapons and perks, for a multiplayer experience to be enjoyed either locally or online. The most interesting mechanic of the game is its perk drafting system.
The game packs in 15 different perks, and after each round, players take turns choosing from an available pool of them; the last place player picks first, and first place gets the scraps. The perks stack and will be used for the remainder of the match. Roman Maksymyschyn, an indie game developer and director for Hyper Jam at Bit Dragon, released an article on the PlayStation blog talking about the game and specifically points to the ingenuity of the perk system. “The different combinations of perks that players end up with results in many different (and often hilarious) scenarios, guaranteeing a unique experience every time you play.” Depending on the quality of the pick, it could be a complete game-changer for the next round, and since each match will be different, the game will stay fresh for players.
The game’s development started back in 2016 when a small team of developers worked on Hyper Jam as a side project. When they had enough of the core game completed, they showed a teaser at PAX Aus that year. Once the team attended the Game Developers Conference the next year, they were inspired by other developers to focus on the game full-time, and Bit Dragon was formed. After receiving funding from the Victorian Government, the team moved their studio to The Arcade, a shared development space for indie game makers in Melbourne, Australia to finish the game.
While the complete Hyper Jam experience is still a ways away (a little over a month until launch), those interested can check out the newest trailer for the game below, or visit the website for more on the game. Hyper Jam is set for release on February 12 on PC (through Steam), PS4 and Xbox One.