AUTO KITE

Welcome to AUTO KITE – Currently in Pre-Alpha! The project is officially moving out of the prototype phase and into active development. The core loops, massive enemy swarms, and deep weapon evolution systems are functional, but the game is still very early. I’m releasing this advanced prototype on itch.io now because community feedback was crucial to the original KITE, and your involvement will be key inputs for balancing the modular weapon systems and building the procedural levels. Expect shifting mechanics, placeholder assets, and frequent updates as the ultimate sci-fi bullet heaven experience takes shape.

Game Description

The swarm is bigger than ever. Mags’ legendary H.O.R.D. chassis has been dismantled, its components scattered across hostile, shifting territories. At the center of the mystery is Control - a fragmented echo of an elite pilot AI, waiting for Mags' original chassis to be rebuilt to reconnect with the legendary hero.

In AUTO KITE, I’ve expanded the retro-run-and-gun formula of the original KITE into a massive, procedural horde-survival experience. Your mission is clear: drop into the wasteland, outrun the endless mechanical swarm, and recover the lost tech needed to put Mags back together. Gameplay has been distilled down to the pure elegance of a bullet-heaven, featuring automated weapons and an innovative power-up system.

Kite thousands of rogue bots across dynamically generated arenas, collecting materials to fuel a deep, modular upgrade system. As the swarms grow denser, your chassis must adapt, transforming basic loadouts into screen-clearing engines of destruction.

Key Features Currently in Development:

• Procedural Horde Survival: Navigate a dynamically generated chunk-based world, ensuring the battlefield layout never gets stale as you kite 1,000+ enemies.
• Pilot the Gatbot Prototype Chassis: A tank like robot with a trio of advanced weapon systems. Gatbot’s weapons are fully autonomous and their chassis generates bullet-time and turbo speed powerups .
• Play How & Where You Want: Ultimately designed to be a mobile experience, plays fantastic on gamepad, keyboard, or touch screen.
• Deep Mod & Evolution System: Stack mods and customize your firepower on the fly. Combine upgrades to trigger powerful weapon evolutions, unlocking extreme synergies for your Gatling, Sniper, Laser Xbow, Moon Beam, and more.
• Classic Pixel-Art Action: Featuring the signature 90s retro-future pixel art and radiant VFX Lab Cat Games has established with KITE.

Content Yet to Be Added:

• Rebuild Mags’ H.O.R.D. Chassis: Survive the swarm to locate missing chassis components, piece together Mags's identity, and uncover the truth behind the fractured world.
• Scientist and Team Rescue: Locate and provide safety for key NPCs, parts, and other items capable of elevating your builds to god-tier status through a crafting and talent system.
• Environmental Detail Pass: This version utilizes a simple 16 ‘chunk’ set of rooms to generate the world. It’s very low detail with long straight walls and few textures. There is a lot of gorgeous pixel art tiling to come, but for the prototype it's been important to reduce scope and validate the game.

Your opinion is really helpful!

1. Where do you find the fun? Mechanics? Art style? Level-ups?
2. Does anything Frustrate you? Confusing gameplay? Interface?
3. What is your favorite weapon? Favorite upgrade? Visuals?
4. How long are your play sessions? Any replayability?
5. Are the menus easy to use? Is it clear what things mean?
6. What did you think of the level up system? Favorite mods?
7. Did you discover any evolutions? Did they feel impactful?
8. As a new player, did you find it difficult? How quickly did you get better?
9. Did you face a boss? Was it a good fight? Too much hp? Too easy?
10. Please copy and paste any crashes or errors you encounter! I really appreciate your help!

About the Developer

AUTO KITE is a genre-bending sequel to KITE, the 2018 twin-stick action RPG developed by Lab Cat Games. AUTO KITE takes those foundational mechanics and distills them down to their purest form. If you enjoyed the gunplay-ballet, deep progression, and chunky neon pixel-art of the Steam debut, you are awesome and should try this game too!