2D action game Heckpoint looks way more brutal than its name

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Were it not for sci-fi action RPG Hellpoint, developer Nodacoy Games might have easily called their 2D action game by the same name. Instead, we're looking at Heckpoint, a deceptively brutal game where everything, including your face, is destructible. It's currently on Steam Early Access, where Nodacoy says it will stay for roughly six to eight months.  

It looks like it's dangerously easy to blow levels apart in Heckpoint. I can already see myself shooting holes through platforms even as I jump toward them. As long as I take out a good chunk of Heckpoint's meaty enemies, it will be worth it.  

Thankfully, the beautiful scrolling backgrounds aren't so easily destroyed. From a graveyard to a cyberpunk city to a surprisingly tranquil forest, Heckpoint is backed up by some terrific pixel art. The forest is especially pretty thanks to lighting that has a consistent starting point but different forms, like highlights and god's rays. The silhouettes are a nice touch, too.  

Austin Wood
Staff writer, GamesRadar

Austin freelanced for PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and has been a full-time writer at PC Gamer's sister publication GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a staff writer is just a cover-up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news, the occasional feature, and as much Genshin Impact as he can get away with.