Heart Core has set our hearts alight today with a brand new announcement — its stylish, action-packed boss rush game Gripper, inspired by the likes of Furi and the anime Akira, is coming to Switch and PC in early 2023.
You can’t help but watch that trailer above and think “darn, that looks so cool“. Stylish visuals, fast-paced action — oh, and you’re riding a bike. You’re fighting enemies on a bike. Come ON.
Okay, enough of us getting excited about playing an action game entirely on bikes. Gripper isn’t just about looking cool and beating up enemies — it’s also got a heartbreaking story at its core. As None, a cyber biker, you were separated from your parents long ago. Now suddenly reunited with them, None is forced to save the world from a terrible AI.
You’ll get to race through apocalyptic landscapes and barren wastelands as you fight against hordes of enemies, fight gigantic mechs, and shed a few tears the whole way through. You’ll need to upgrade your bike at the Main Hub as well as take care of your kitty called Cat-Kit, slide through the Tunnels to some stunning synth beats inspired by French dark synth artist Carpenter Brut, and take down huge enemies in the Boss Fight sections.
For more details about the game, we’ve got a summary from Steam for you, as well as some gorgeous screens:
ABOUT GRIPPER
Enter the burnout seat of None, a cyber biker who is stuck inside a collapsing world. Race through post-apocalyptic landscapes connected by treacherous tunnels. Explore dead lands with the help of your mechanized cat buddy. Defeat relentless bosses by gripping and ripping out their hearts.BOSS FIGHTS ON WHEELS
Ride, slide and dodge as you master the Gripper’s unique bike movement and combat mechanics. Go wheel-to-wheel with murderous monster trucks, giant arachnids, mechanized titans, and screen-shattering snakes. Crush them, rip out their weapon and use against them. Build the bike you want, from energy boosters to spawnable drones, mines and gadgets.GRIP & RIP
Control the battlefield with your bike’s hook. Use it to grip the environment, grab and throw explosives or even rip enemies apart. Gripper challenges you to find unique ways to slay the bosses.
CINEMATIC STORY-DRIVEN ACTION
None’s story is one of mystery and loss. Traverse the dystopian cyber landscapes in search of answers to your past. Help None make vital choices. Every answer you uncover is another loved one you put at risk, so go forth and save your family.
PROGRESSION AND CUSTOMIZATION
Kill. Upgrade. Repeat. Each grueling encounter will reward you with a new special ability, lethal gadgets, and sometimes rare skins. Customize your Gripper experience to both play and look how you want. If you’re going to be ripping out hearts, you must make sure you look good!
We don’t have a locked-in release date yet, but Gripper will be launching on the Switch eShop in early 2023 — so hopefully we won’t have long to wait! We’re already revving our engines and raring to get out there.
What do you think of Gripper? Get on your bike and head down to the comments to let us know!