Hoverbike Racing RPG Desert Child Gets December Release and New Trailer
Citizens of the world: I have exquisite news from the Prime Minister of Australia, Oscar Brittain, himself. The royal indie developer has declared that the hoverbike sci-fi racing RPG, Desert Child, has gone gold. Published by Akupara Games, Desert Child will be heading to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC on December 11, and Xbox One on December 12 for $11.99.
Alright, enough with the eloquent talk. Let’s go full-throttle and share what Desert Child is all about, as the game isn’t about being rich and royal, it’s about being broke and scrappy. In Desert Child, you step into the shoes — or onto the hoverbike — of a talented hoverbike racer who’s simply trying to make enough cash to buy a one-way ticket to Mars and enter the greatest racing event in the universe: the Grand Prix.
Being broke is surprisingly the least of your problems in Desert Child, however, since the Earth is about to explode — so get rich to make it off the planet or die trying. To get the cash you need, you’ll partake in a series of unique odd-jobs (sidequests). From hunting down bounties to racing other hoverbikers to delivering pizzas and selling gun parts, you’ve got to do anything it takes to make some cold hard cash.
Aside from hustling and bustling in Desert Child, you’ll have moments to just chill and take it easy — such as taking a moment to explore colorful cities, repair and upgrade your bike, or chow down on local cuisine like a delicious bowl of ramen. With a vast and vibrant pixel-art solar system to explore — that’s inspired by one of my favorite animes, Cowboy Bebop — I bet it’ll be a blast to experience all that Desert Child has to offer.
As you dash across Earth, you’ll listen to an original lo-fi hip-hop soundtrack that’ll mellow you out. It sounds like the developer put a lot of love and care into making Desert Child’s soundtrack, as Yoonsang Yu, Marketing Manager at Akupara Games, went into detail about it in a PlayStation Blog post:
Music is integral to Desert Child’s aesthetic. The game’s creator, Oscar Brittain, set out to give his sci-fi racing RPG a unique feel. His musical influences, which range from Tokimonsta, Eevee, Central Parks, A L E X, anything from Inner Ocean Records, and the Wu-Tang Clan, are reflected in the tracks created for the game.
To meet the Prime Minister of Australia (Oscar Brittain) and to get a quick look at Desert Child, check out the launch date announcement trailer below:
If you want a little sample of some of the music that the developer made, listen to these tracks:
Man, How Wicked Were the 90’s?
We’ll have a developer Q&A article soon, so be on the lookout for that.
Author’s Take: I’ve been insanely excited about this game ever since I had the chance to play it at GDC this year. December 11 can’t come fast enough.
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