Castle in the Darkness 2 is in the works

I’m all about these Genesis action-platformer vibes

The next time you’re in the mood for an action-RPG morsel, remember Castle in the Darkness 2.

Following their work on The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, developers Matt Kap and Simon Parzer are teaming up for the sequel to 2015’s Castle in the Darkness, a tough title with a retro styling and trial-and-error obstacles. If you liked it okay but thought it had room for improvement, today’s your day.

The first footage of Castle in the Darkness 2 reminds me of Wonder Boy mixed with Castlevania and I’m not complaining. Axe throwing, damage indicator pop-ups, loose coins to collect – it’s all so very comfy.

“I’m really pushing my limits,” explained Kap. “I made the first game with an 8-bit aesthetic to keep it fast and simple because I was working on it mostly alone. But now with Simon taking care of all the technical stuff, along with a few talented specialists, I can focus 100% of my effort on producing the best graphics, music and game design that I’m able to [for Castle in the Darkness 2].”

LABS Works also promised to have “mini-trailers on the second day of every month.”

If you’re wondering why today’s video ended with clips from Astalon: Tears of the Earth, consider it a development update of sorts. The title was supposed to come out this year, but the lead dev, Jon Lepage, broke his collarbone. “He has now fully recovered, and the game is back in full-time development,” according to the studio. Astalon should hit the spot while we wait for more Castle.