Langhorne, Pennsylvania - September 25, 2026 - Independent studio Perceiving Light today launches Hostile Lands 1.0, a skill-based bullet-hell shooter packed with action and cartoon carnage, where every success comes at a cost.
The Story? Your ship slams into a far-off planet. The inhabitants take it personally.
The Goal? Fight through bandits and bullet-spewing bosses to reach the escape pod.
The Catch? Every time you escape, the Hostility rises. The next run is even harder for those left behind.
Players choose from 36 characters, each with a unique and sometimes absurd skill. The game is built around aim, timing, and reading a room more than hunting for an overpowered gun.
“We wanted to reward players for getting better,” said Timothy Stanford of Perceiving Light. “There are still upgrades that increase gun damage and of course there are better weapons to find, but the high we’re chasing is that adrenaline snap of lining up the perfect shot, miraculously dodging a hailstorm of bullets, and recovering from a run that should have been dead on arrival.”
Hostile Lands wears its Nuclear Throne influence openly, with tight rooms, purposeful enemies, and crunchy gunplay, but it changes the ending. You don’t conquer this world. Instead, you get out, and the world remembers. “Nuclear Throne made good aim feel like a superpower,” said Sara Stanford. “We wanted to capture that same feeling of fast-paced, deadly-accurate skill, but with every run having permanent consequences, for better or worse.”
Version 1.0 ends Early Access and delivers the complete core experience: the full 36-character roster, additional bosses, and new endings. Local co-op supports two players, with full controller support and Remote Play Together. A free demo is available.
Hostile Lands launches at $9.99 USD, with a 40% launch discount ($5.99).
KEY FEATURES
- Fast-paced 2D top-down roguelite / bullet-hell combat
- 36 unique characters with special skills and drawbacks
- 60+ weapons to loot and experiment with
- Rescue-and-escape loop that raises Hostility after every success
- Multiple biomes, bosses, and evolving enemies
- Permanent upgrades - every run makes you stronger
- 2-player local co-op, with full controller support and Remote Play Together
- Companion pets and collectible indexes for guns and crew
DETAILS
Platforms: Steam (PC)
Genre: Action Roguelite
Release Date: September 25, 2026
Price: $5.99 launch / $9.99 regular
TRAILER
https://youtu.be/3ThISLC7ywY
STEAM STORE PAGE
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3075890/Hostile_Lands/
PRESS KIT
For screenshots, key art, trailers, social links and more:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0e9e3zvfs2klf2piijgy5/ALAZSwB-N1emxH-A1RsO_hI?rlkey=gltoiilzk5cemewra8zrw938g&st=ewf9ldrb&dl=0
PRESS CONTACT
Sara Stanford
sara@perceivinglight.com
https://perceivinglight.com
- Review keys available on request
ABOUT PERCEIVING LIGHT
Perceiving Light is a husband-and-wife indie studio in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Timothy is an award-winning fine artist turned game developer. Sara is a lifelong gamer and chronic-illness survivor. They make retro-styled games with old-school design, chunky pixel art, and a wacky sense of humor.