Melbourne, Australia - 30 May 2025 - Indie development duo Powerhoof are today stoked to announce that their fast-paced, point and click thriller The Drifter will launch for Windows, macOS and Linux via Steam on 17 July 2025. A Nintendo Switch version is also in development and targeting a release later this year - further details of which will be announced in due course.
A demo for The Drifter is now available to download via Steam ahead of its participation in Steam Next Fest, which runs June 9 - June 16th. It features the game’s full first chapter, inviting players to experience its uniquely thrilling take on the classic adventure genre.
To coincide with the announcements, a high-octane new trailer effortlessly spotlights the game’s crunchy pixel art visuals and pulpy narrative - inspired by the works of Stephen King, John Carpenter and Michael Crichton.
The Drifter | Release Date Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAJ1LQVqWWE
A classic 2D point and click adventure with the brake-lines cut - The Drifter plunges players headfirst into a web of shadowy corporations, conspiracy, murder, and the thousand year obsession of a madman.
Mick Carter's been drifting a while now - moving from job to job, never staying one place long. Jumping a box-car to his old home town, he witnesses a violent murder, is pursued by hi-tech soldiers, thrown in a reservoir and drowned.
Just before his consciousness is ripped away, it is thrust back into his body. Alive again, seconds before his death. Mick is framed for the killing he witnessed, tormented by his own past, and haunted by the feeling that something followed him back from the other side…
The Drifter takes its cues from modern revival of the adventure genre and focuses on serving up a tight, razor-sharp narrative - propelling the player through the story - while grounded, unobtrusive and satisfying investigative puzzles act as the sinew between punchy narrative beats.
The Drifter - Key Features
- A Pulp Adventure Thriller from the minds that brought you Peridium and Crawl.
- An engrossing roller-coaster of a story - Drawing on King, Crichton and Carpenter, with a dash of 70s Aussie grindhouse.
- Point 'n Click or Controller - Unique twin-stick controls make The Drifter as comfy to play on the couch as at your PC.
- Bursting with raw crunchy pixel art and high-impact animation.
- Professionally voice acted, with a brooding dark-synth cinematic score.
The Drifter will launch for Windows, macOS and Linux via Steam on 17 July. It is currently targeting a release for Nintendo Switch later this year. A demo featuring the game’s opening chapter is available to download now ahead of its participation in Steam Next Fest.
For more information on Powerhoof and The Drifter, please visit the official website, or follow Powerhoof on Bluesky: Dave Lloyd / Barney Cumming and X: Dave / Barney.
Note to Editors - Review Requests Now Open
Steam review keys will soon be available; please get in touch via tom@strangesignals.co.uk to request pre-release access to The Drifter.
Media Contact
Strange Signals for Powerhoof
Tom Copeland
tom@strangesignals.co.uk
About Powerhoof
Powerhoof is a Melbourne indie gamedev duo - Dave Lloyd and Barney Cumming. Crawl, Regular Human Basketball, Acid Knife, Peridium, The Drifter. Burning pixels through your retinas. Deep into your soul. After a long history in the freeware adventure game scene- Dave brings his storytelling to life with Barney's art direction and a team of pixel artists, musicians and voice actors. Combining the duo's history of crunchy pixel indie action titles with the long beloved genre.