Fido-5

Neo City is under endless assault. You are the operative sent in. FiDo-5 is the combat drone that goes with you.

FiDo-5 is a pixel-art side-scrolling shooter where you set the pace. Run, jump and slide across three levels of the city: the street is safest, the rooftops pay best, and everything in between is a decision. Fire in the direction you face, spend energy on shields, EMP bursts and missile strikes, and read every telegraph before it lands.

You are never alone. FiDo-5 picks its own targets, finishes off wounded enemies, hoovers up coins and cracks open loot crates while you keep moving. Take a hit that should end the run and it throws itself in front of you with an emergency shield. It only works once before it needs to recharge, so spend it wisely. Fit it with an Attack, Support or Utility core to change how it fights.

Every sector ends at a gate, and every gate has a boss. Six of them stand between you and the far side of Neo City: the Warden, Hexcell, the Convoy, the Choir, the Ripper and Null Prime. Each one has a rhythm to learn. Watch the wind-up, stay clear of the strike, punish the recovery. Beat one and you clear a checkpoint with a shop attached.

Loot sits in the awkward places. Elite enemies drop keys, keys open vaults, and vaults pay for upgrades. Coins, weapon tiers, operative stats and drone upgrades all carry over between runs, with missions and daily rewards giving you something to chase.

Hand-drawn pixel art, original synthesised audio and a drone with a very dry sense of humour. Quick to pick up, hard to put down.

"I recommend avoiding the explosion."