Solo game developer Vedinad debuts with their retro comedy action roguelike, Megabonk. For 8 months, the fox sorcerer created a charming yet challenging 3D sandbox that’s full of RNG surprises. The game was almost put in jeopardy for its September release due to a huge launch lineup. So, how in the world did I and other players learn about Megabonk? And most importantly, how did Vedinad do on their first indie project?
Vedinad Used YouTube Short Vlogs for Marketing
I kept my eye on Megabonk after finding a vlog short about it on YouTube mobile. For the unaware, every time a user opens the video streaming app, they are automatically taken to YouTube Shorts. Vedinad took advantage of the Shorts format to showcase their roguelike project. Each showed development progression and took play testers’ feedback to improve its gameplay.
Their most recent posts showed troubling signs for Megabonk’s initial release date. The fox sorcerer explained in “My Game Launch is ruined…” that their debut project was supposed to launch on Sept. 4th. However, Team Cherry announced Hollow Knight: Silksong would appear in stores on the same day. They then paid their respects to the long-awaited sequel by moving their game’s release to Sept. 18th.
A new problem emerged when the solo developer realized the other releases that could overshadow it. Borderlands 4 was planned to launch on Sept. 12th, while Dying Light: The Beast was scheduled for release on Sept. 19th. According to Vedinad, Dying Light’s developer, Techland, finalized the expansion’s debut for Sept. 18th. PC Gamer has confirmed this change with franchise director Tymon Smektala earlier this month.
The solo developer decided not to delay Megabonk a second time and sent a call-to-action for followers and future players: “[Borderlands 4 and Dying Light: The Beast] have a combined Steam wishlist count of 4,000,000 while my game only has 80,000. So, what do we do? If I’mma be smart, I’ll just delay the launch by a few weeks. But I am stupid. I’m not delaying anything. Wishlist Megabonk on Steam to help me out.”
Megabonk is Jam-Packed for Small Game Size
The official Megabonk Steam Page states that the game file is 500 MB, which is about the size of a 3DS game file. I do appreciate Vedinad for taking a non-ambitious route for their solo project. Their roguelike is filled to the brim with enemy horde trials and RNG playthrough.
Some gamers claim that a game smaller than 10 GB will not run properly. The fox sorcerer utilizes low-poly models for everything, from the playable characters to the bosses. I was shocked to see how smoothly Megabonk ran with hundreds of enemies and five bosses on one map.
Another thing that contributes to the retro title’s rendering power is the visual effects and sound files. Almost every projectile is an animated sprite, allowing people to play the game on a Windows 7 processor and above without difficulty. The sound cues are converted into 16-bit to reduce frame drops. And the chiptune music composed by Miguel Angel offers a nostalgic arcade atmosphere without sacrificing quality.
A Very Innovative Auto-Shooter and Upgrade System
Megabonk’s previewed gameplay at first glance showed a fun 3D action roguelike. During the first run-through, I learned that attacks will shoot automatically between cooldowns. It’s a rare sight to have the player solely focus on evasive maneuvers. This pairs well with Megabonk’s chaotic RNG swarms for its numerous enemy types.
I didn’t have to worry about aiming my projectiles while running from the horde. The weapon will shoot in random directions at nearby monsters. All I have to do is jump and slide down slopes. The player’s objective is to find and fight the boss of the level while surviving long enough to reach the next tier. They can get stronger by grinding for XP (the blue shards) and gold to purchase upgrades.
On each map, there’s a set of chests, monuments, shady salesmen, and microwaves to enhance your weapons and stats. Sometimes, loot will drop from the mini bosses to get free upgrades. Power-ups will appear as more enemies get destroyed for a temporary boost or prevent you from being surrounded. The best way to survive each tier is to plan ahead for escape routes and improvise with what you are given.
Questing for Unlockables
While there is no campaign mode, Megabonk offers Quests to provide players with different milestones. They all will reward players with an unlockable item or a character. Combatants will also earn silver points to purchase in the Shop. Many Quests require experimenting with multiple playthroughs. Others will be finished naturally, depending on the environment and opposition you are fighting against.
The hardest parts of the game to complete are the Challenge Quests. They require performing specific actions to survive. Speedrunning is considered the easiest, while playing pacifist is brutal. Yet, they offer good replayability for Megabonk players and achievement hunters.
Don’t Miss Out on Megabonk!
Vedinad’s roguelike project deserves more praise. They took inspiration from Poncle’s Vampire Survivors and experimented with it in a 3rd-dimensional space. The solo developer clearly made Megabonk out of love for the game genre. Their followers watched and gave suggestions during their 8-month development journey. Even the fox sorcerer couldn’t resist adding the Megachad meme as a playable character. Players will even find them in-game on the leaderboards under “ved (:”.
After its launch, the game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. I highly recommend this indie title for those who love racking up high scores, fighting endless waves, and completing ruthless challenges. Get your hands on Megabonk today on Steam!
