AK-xolotl, a top-down roguelite featuring a very angry amphibian, just got its official world premiere at the Future Games Show Spring Showcase Powered by the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro - and, better yet, you can play the demo right now.
The name alone is a serious selling point, but when I first saw AK-xolotl, I was quickly drawn to its top-down shooting, immediately reminiscent of the likes of Nuclear Throne and Enter the Gungeon. Just a few seconds after that, I was entirely sold - the scowl that the fallen (and now very, very angry) amphibian gives to the camera speaks to a game that absolutely understands its assignment.
As the name suggests, your weapon of choice is an AK-47, and you'll be playing as the most adorable of all water-dwelling relatives of the salamander, an axolotl. As you progress towards the top of your ecosystem, you'll also be able to raise baby axolotl, who will eventually grow up to be playable characters in their own rights, each with their very own abilities. AK-xolotl's more domestic side doesn't end there, either, as you'll complement your range of weapons with some serious culinary skills, cooking meals using items gathered on each run to help boost your strength.
As a tongue-in-cheek, pixel-art, bullet-hell roguelite, it's clear that AK-xolotl draws plenty of inspiration from some of the most beloved indies of the last ten years. It's set to release this year on PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, where you can add it to your wishlist and check out a free demo right now.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
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I'm GamesRadar's news editor, working with the team to deliver breaking news from across the industry. I started my journalistic career while getting my degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where I also worked as Games Editor on the student newspaper, The Boar. Since then, I've run the news sections at PCGamesN and Kotaku UK, and also regularly contributed to PC Gamer. As you might be able to tell, PC is my platform of choice, so you can regularly find me playing League of Legends or Steam's latest indie hit.