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Rakugaki: upcoming $19.99 3D platformer game screams chaotic neon cyberpunk rebellion in new trailer

RKGK, or Rakugaki, will launch in Q2 2024 with a bright neon colour palette and fast-paced platforming action. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing - edited)
RKGK, or Rakugaki, will launch in Q2 2024 with a bright neon colour palette and fast-paced platforming action. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing - edited)
RKGK, aka Rakugaki, sheds the first-person shooter, MMO gameplay and grim, realistic worlds that have become all too common in recent games, opting instead to tell its rebellion story through colourful, surrealistic visuals and fast-paced platformer action.
Game Releases Gaming Launch Windows Linux / Unix

Gearbox Software today revealed a trailer and announcement date for RKGK, aka Rakugaki, a third-person 3D platformer set in a dystopian city. Players are tasked with falling in with a crew of rebels who aim to use art to bring colour and life to Cap City and take down the evil megacorporation that has sucked the soul out of their home.

Looking at the press material and trailer, RKGK seems to draw inspiration from many places, but particularly the 3D platformers and nostalgia that gamers seem so hungry for lately — with some screenshots even suggesting bullet hell scenes. RKGK's aesthetic is rich with pops of colour and attitude, thanks to its toon-shaded, anime-inspired graphics and unique 3D graffiti effects.

RKGK will be a single-player, story-based experience, but it will feature a diverse set of features to keep things fun. From the game's Steam announcement:

Unleash your creativity.

  • Light up the cold concrete with Valah’s graffiti, discover secret treasures, and map hidden paths through the sprawling urban world of Cap City.
  • Chain together jumps, dashes, glides, and grinds as you master the fluid and kinetic platforming action. Master routes and push through enemies to take down B Corp with speed and style.
  • Use Valah’s paint abilities for stylish traversal, chaotic mayhem, and making your mark on every corner of Cap City.
  • Channel your power through art and resist B Corp’s mind controlling technology by leaving your mark with an array of unlockable graffiti and paint customization options.

Rakugaki will be on Steam in Summer 2024, although no exact release date has been announced, and will cost $19.99 in the US.

Linux and Steam Deck compatibility is also unclear, but Gearbox has a reputation for excellent compatibility with Valve's Proton, having published ProtonDB Gold- and Platinum-rated titles like Risk of Rain Returns, Remnant II, and Blanc. The minimum specifications for RKGK should also be no problem for something like the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally (curr. $599.99 at Best Buy) or Lenovo Legion Go (curr. $699.99 from Lenovo US).

Check out the RKGK trailer embedded below for more information.

RKGK is poised to be a challenging platformer loaded to the gills with nostalgic gameplay elements. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
RKGK is poised to be a challenging platformer loaded to the gills with nostalgic gameplay elements. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
The funky graffiti in RKGK adds an element of chaos to the upcoming platformer's aesthetics. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
The funky graffiti in RKGK adds an element of chaos to the upcoming platformer's aesthetics. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
The anime-inspired toon-shaded graphics are a welcome change from the ultra-realism that's become common in modern games. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
The anime-inspired toon-shaded graphics are a welcome change from the ultra-realism that's become common in modern games. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
The characters in Rakugaki use art as a means of rebellion to defeat their corporate overlords. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
The characters in Rakugaki use art as a means of rebellion to defeat their corporate overlords. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
Graffiti is apparently for more thna just looks in Rakugaki, as seen in this scene where the main character, Valah, uses it to surf through the battlefield. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
Graffiti is apparently for more thna just looks in Rakugaki, as seen in this scene where the main character, Valah, uses it to surf through the battlefield. (Image source: Gearbox Publishing)
 

▶ Press Release

Hey, everyone! I’m Anwar from Wabisabi Games, working on our first game: RKGK!


We are extremely excited to finally show you what we have been working on for the past few years.

RKGK is our love letter and tribute to everything we grew up loving as kids: 3D platformer games, anime, manga, graffiti, electronic music, etc., and being our first game it just means the world to us that you will be able to experience it.


Since the very beginning, RKGK was developed with 2 concepts in mind:

  1. To provide a nostalgia trip to all of you who also grew up loving the golden era of 3D platformers, watching anime on tv, going to your first rave, or even tagging your city!
  2. To create a gateway for new generations of players who maybe haven’t experienced these types of games before, and hopefully grow an affection for them.


We can’t wait to tell you more about RKGK as we ramp up for launch, and excited for you all to experience the game.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2024 04 > Rakugaki: upcoming $19.99 3D platformer game screams chaotic neon cyberpunk rebellion in new trailer
Julian van der Merwe, 2024-04-11 (Update: 2024-04-11)