Airframe Ultra is a gritty, lo-fi hoverbike game from Rain World devs

These bikes don’t work over water unless you’ve got POWER!

Akupara Games has announced that they’ll be publishing Videocult’s upcoming lo-fi hoverbike game, Airframe Ultra.

Unless you count all the rust, Airframe Ultra is quite a departure from Videocult’s previous game, Rain World. In this one, you ride around on a hoverbike, winning races and eliminating the competition. While the trailer gives a good long look at the gameplay, both it and the press release I got with it suggest that there’s still much to do in establishing the mechanics of the game. For one thing, you never really see a starting grid or finish line. There’s also combat intermingled with what otherwise looks like racing.

It looks like Videocult is focused on getting the feel of the hoverbike right and then working from there. You can really tell how much effort has gone into the animations and physics of the game, as the rider leans and the weight shifts on the bike. It’s also interesting how you can plant your weapon in the ground to enable quick turns.

Really, while a lot is left to be seen in regards to gameplay, what has been shown is enough to get me interested in Airframe Ultra. I used to love Jet-Moto when I was younger, and the hoverbikes remind me of that. Meanwhile, the lo-fi early-3D aesthetic and CRT filter, along with the cyberpunk environments really speak to me. I guess I just love filth.

Another thing missing from the press materials is a release date. Right now, we only know that Airframe Ultra is coming to Steam.

Zoey Handley

Staff Writer – Zoey is a gaming gadabout. She got her start blogging with the community in 2018 and hit the front page soon after. Normally found exploring indie experiments and retro libraries, she does her best to remain chronically uncool.