Enemy: a turn-based tactical roguelike in a procedurally generated physics playground

Enemy's squad roster may be picked from voxel representations of classic console characters, but the real point of reference is the original X-Com. The game, currently looking for Kickstarter backers, is a turn-based tactical roguelike, in which your 8-bit army displays skills ranging from blater proficiency to monster-squishing super jumps. Nostalgia-baiting overload it may be, but the real strength of project lies in the amazingly destructible environments.

The game procedurally generates its locations using classic gaming environments as a reference point. According to the Kickstarter page, this means "a collision of genres, where haunted graveyards, infested space stations, and peaceful mushroom villages all stand side-by-side." The randomisation of content goes further still, generating new scenarios with each attempt. "In one play-through, you might rescue the King of Dreams from the captain of the space pirates. In the next, you might avenge your fallen father by defeating a resurrected Dracula."

Really, though, it's the incredibly detailed physics that piques my interest. The backer video shows how, instead of killing an enemy directly, you can bomb a building they're in, causing it fall on them in a shower of voxel debris. The latest update reveals even more expressive tactical options, with a video showing a Link-like soldier destroying a huge chunk of house by felling a tree next to it.

Enemy is looking for a modest $15,000, and is already over $7,000 with 16 days to go. You can see more details at the Kickstarter page .

Phil Savage
Editor-in-Chief

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.