Overview

HAZARD SUITS is a 1-4 player co-op, arcade shooter. With acid rain, procedurally-generated maps, and endless waves of zombified robots. Explore abandoned facilities, acquire new loot, survive! Did we mention it has split-screen!

Plot

In the near-future, the fossil fuel industry is tasked with reversing their impact on the planet. The cheapest option was to pump the air with sulphur, which worked for a while, cooling the planet and reflecting heat. Over time the sulphur in the air became thick and caused frequent acid rain, which scorched the earth.

The helper robots, tasked to aid humanity, were corrupted as the rain entered their circuits and corrupted their central mission. They turned on humans.

The now zombots have taken over, swarming key infrastructure that continues to contribute to the sulphur pumps. Humanities last hope is the anonymous “volunteers” known as Hazard Suits, whose mission is to target and eliminate key infrastructure and destroy the zombots. 

Gameplay

Player’s will team up at the safe house, where they can relax and prep between missions. Each run has its own main objective, adding an additional challenge for players besides the thrill of surviving to as high a wave as they can.

Batteries are a key feature of gameplay. Found across the map using a digital compass and have multiple uses; complete the objective, power-ups, and with an element of extraction shooter players can recharge their van and escape with their gear.

Escaping from a run acts as a save system, allowing players to return to that same mission where they left off. If player die on a mission, the gear they had will be lost.

With procedurally generated maps, players will be rewarded for exploring. Where they can find cosmetics, weapon parts and filament to print their weapons.

Back at the safe house players can customise their loadout, with unique gadgets and perks that can change gameplay. Level up weapons to unlock new attachments and skins. Players can fully customise their suits to their own taste, with combinations of palettes, skins and headwear.

Development

The game has been made almost entirely by 1 developer, Lewis Rafter. As a side hustle whilst working in AAA for 5 years, and then full-time for 1 year after the founding of Ceratops Games. Previously at Double Eleven, Lewis worked on Rimworld Console Edition and Rust Console Edition.

Doing most of the development himself, contractors were brought in to complete the audio for the game and it’s soundtrack.

No AI has been used in the process of making the game and it will not be used going forward.

The company is committed to be part of 1% for the planet and will be donating a portion of the games revenue to climate change related charities.