Airship Syndicate has announced DUST: Origins, a new isometric sci-fi action-horror shooter set aboard a collapsing orbital prison station. Revealed during gamescom Opening Night Live, the game features art direction from comic artist and Airship Syndicate co-founder Joe Madureira.
Airship Syndicate has self-funded development of DUST: Origins up to this point. A Kickstarter campaign has launched alongside the announcement, with the studio seeking additional support to expand development beyond its current scope.
DUST: Origins takes place aboard Limbo-6, an orbital prison platform falling out of orbit. Players awaken from cryogenic imprisonment as bio-engineered test subjects roam the station and dangerous criminals stand between them and the escape pods.
Ammo is limited, and combat is built around deliberate, tactical encounters. Choices can determine who lives or dies, including the player character, and the story will feature multiple endings based on what happens throughout the game.
The game’s visual direction draws from the action-heavy science fiction of the 1980s and 1990s, including industrial environments, bulky technology, and exaggerated creatures. Madureira is leading the art direction, bringing his hand-drawn style to a darker setting than Airship Syndicate has explored in its previous releases.
Madureira is known for his work on Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men and the Battle Chasers comic series. Airship Syndicate’s previous games include Battle Chasers: Nightwar, Darksiders Genesis, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story, and Wayfinder. The studio was founded by developers who previously worked on the Darksiders series at Vigil Games.
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