Rival Star Hero | Logo

You may recall a while back during PAX West I attended the Seattle Indie’s Expo and played some fantastic and quirky games, as is my yearly tradition. This most recent outing, one of the games that I most enjoyed was a competitive, co-op SHMUP called Rival Star Hero. Developed by Spacewave Software, the unique thing about the game is you and your opponent are playing at the same time, and the person who survives the longest wins. Then they even threw in cool mechanics such as a combo system that lets you harass your opponent’s side of the screen with enemy ships, debris and even lets you change into a massive boss ship to annihilate them. While I liked the graphics of the game many months ago, their most recent update has shown off their great new art style!

Rival Star Hero | Original Art

Above you can see the art style that I experienced at PAX West. It was very colorful as far as the bullets and explosions, but the overall aesthetic was somewhat plain. Compare that to the shot below, and you can really see how far the game has come! There’s a ton more detail and nuance in the art, and I especially like how the pilot portraits dominate the corners of the screen. I’m getting quite excited to try out the finalized build of Rival Star Hero. If you want to see more artwork, check out our source below. And stay tuned to oprainfall for more indie game coverage!

Rival Star Hero | Improved Artwork

Rival Star Hero | Combo

Rival Star Hero | Boss

SOURCE

Josh Speer
Josh is a passionate gamer, finding time to clock in around 30-40 hours of gaming a week. He discovered Operation Rainfall while avidly following the localization of the Big 3 Wii RPGs. He enjoys SHMUPS, Platformers, RPGs, Roguelikes and the occasional Fighter. He’s also an unashamedly giant Mega Man fan, having played the series since he was eight. As Head Editor and Review Manager, he spends far too much time editing reviews and random articles. In his limited spare time he devours indies whole and anticipates the release of quirky, unpredictable and innovative games.