Rami Ismail (Nuclear Throne, Luftrausers) has teamed up with and new indie publisher, Mystic Forge, to unveil Australia Did It, a title that throws genre conventions out the window. Announced today, the game introduces what the team is calling a Tactical Reverse Bullet Hell, a fusion of turn-based tower defense, unit-merging strategy, and on-rails chaos where you become the bullet hell.
Launching later this year on Steam, Australia Did It challenges players to think carefully during strategic prep phases before unleashing sensory overload in explosive real-time battles.
Breaking Industry Conventions
The project is as much about philosophy as it is about gameplay. Ismail explained that the game was born from a prototype built with no expectation of funding:
“I had very low hopes for this odd prototype… but when I showed it to Mystic Forge, they didn’t even flinch. They supported us with no guardrails, no caveats, just a firm belief that games need new ideas.”
Mystic Forge, a new publisher formed by veterans behind Monster Train, John Wick Hex, and Friday the 13th, was created to back risky projects exactly like this. Portfolio Director Randy Greenback said:
“From the start, we knew Mystic Forge had to run with Rami’s big creative swing. Australia Did It is experimental, and there isn’t anything else like it.”
A Drained Ocean, a Doomed Mission
Set in a post-catastrophic, drained Atlantic Ocean basin, players take on the role of mercenaries tasked with escorting precious cargo by train across a monster-infested seabed.
The loop alternates between deliberate planning and high-octane chaos:
- Defend the Station: Strategically deploy and merge units (with over 1,500 combinations across 30+ types) to hold off waves of enemies.
- Survive the Reverse Bullet Hell: Once the train departs, players mow down hordes of enemies in chaotic shootouts where survival isn’t mandatory, but the cargo’s is.
- Evolve Your Strategy: Between stages, choose Reward Cards to mix perks and traits into powerful, sometimes volatile new builds.
Wishlist Now
Australia Did It will arrive on PC via Steam later this year. Players can wishlist the game now and follow the latest development updates via Discord and TikTok.
