Kickstarter Kompilation: April 2025 edition
Cards, clowns, and edutaining hacking software.
As always, we have no insider information or financial interest in any of these projects, and no one at Retronauts has been compensated for including anything on this page. To the best of my ability I have not (and never will) endorse any campaign built around AI assets. Also, in light of the ongoing pandemic, we recommend only backing crowdfunding campaigns if you feel comfortable with your own security and stability.
Part-Time Hero (ends April 12 estimated reward date Sep 2025)
I'm including this project based less on its particular selling points than I am its pedigree. Part-Time Hero comes to us from Future Club, a new studio formed from a group of indies with an impressive track record
The Outskirts: Clown-Man(ends April 14 estimated reward date Aug 2025)
A self-described "passion project" that also purports to be a "CRPG/JRPG Survival Horror Hybrid"? I can't say no to this. There's also an "Early Access" version up on itch.io right now.
Gunlocked 2 (ends April 19 estimated reward date Aug 2025)
The original Gunlocked married the bullet chaos of Vampire Survivors with the look of an old scrolling space shooter—"a twin stick shooter without the twin stick" if you will. Gunlocked 2 looks to expand that premise into a larger experience.
Orpheus: To Hell and Back (ends April 28 estimated reward date Jan 2026)
This came up in my recent column on God of War (support Retronauts on Patreon!) but I'm a longtime liker of Greek mythology, so Orpheus: To Hell and Back immediately had my attention. The fact that it runs on Game Boy only makes it all the more charming. There's a demo on itch.io if you want to know more.
Hack the Future (ends April 28 estimated reward date Sep 2025)
LIFE HACK: Designing a game around repetitive tasks can make those tasks more appealing than just lecturing about them in a classroom. Hack the Future will challenge players to contemplate "real-world security scenarios, such as SQL injection, DDoS attacks, and social engineering, and solve them through gameplay."
