{"id":448752,"date":"2026-02-02T07:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T07:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/448752\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T07:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T07:46:11","slug":"m2s-tokihiro-naito-and-skipmore-announce-pixel-art-puzzle-adventure-shooter-xegrader-plus-for-pc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/448752\/","title":{"rendered":"M2\u2019s Tokihiro NAITO and Skipmore announce pixel art \u2018puzzle adventure shooter\u2019 XeGrader plus for PC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tokihiro NAITO<\/a>, a game designer and director who works for M2<\/a>, has announced<\/a> XeGrader plus<\/a>, a fantasy \u201cpuzzle adventure shooter\u201d with pixel art by Skipmore<\/a>. It will be available for PC<\/a> via Steam<\/a>. A demo is due out in June. <\/p>\n

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page<\/a>:<\/p>\n

About<\/p>\n

A fantasy shooter where exploration and puzzles are keys to victory. In a world of meticulous pixel art, uncover secrets hidden in every stage. Collect powerful upgrades, defeat fantasy monsters with precise shooting, and forge the world\u2019s fate!<\/p>\n

\u201cDiscovery\u201d Through \u201cAdventure<\/a>\u201c: Save the World!<\/p>\n

This game is a \u201cPuzzle Adventure Shooter<\/a>\u201d that blends the excitement of classic retro shooters with deep mystery-solving. Simply defeating enemies won\u2019t be enough to bring peace back to this world. Your wisdom and courage are the keys to awakening the lost order.<\/p>\n

World: A High Fantasy Shrouded in Darkness<\/p>\n

The story takes place in a high fantasy world suddenly overrun by legions of monsters. From familiar creatures like Slimes and Kobolds to denizens of the dark like Zombies and Vampires, a variety of enemies stand in your way. Players can choose to play as either a \u201cMale Warrior\u201d or a \u201cFemale Warrior\u201d (stats are identical) and embark on a perilous journey to save the world.<\/p>\n

Features: A Growth System Powered by Myst<\/a>ery<\/p>\n

The only way to strengthen your character is by solving the \u201cmysteries\u201d hidden throughout each stage. Solve every puzzle to gain ultimate power! Remember that feeling in legendary games where you\u2019d find a bonus by flying through a volcanic crater? That sense of surprise and discovery is woven into every stage. Observe, experiment, and experience the joy of finding hidden power-ups with your own hands.<\/p>\n

Visuals and Sound: Retro x Modern<\/p>\n

Golden Age of Pixel Art \u2013 Exquisite pixel art by Skipmore, reminiscent of the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.Atmospheric Effects \u2013 Modern lighting and shadow effects add depth to the nostalgic adventure world.Superb Sound \u2013 Dramatic music by Tadahiro Nitta colors your journey. Chiptunes and melodies leveraging the texture of FM synthesis will heighten the excitement of your adventure.<\/p>\n

Downloadable Content: Recreating Retro Modes that Pushed Hardware to the Limit<\/p>\n

XeGrader PC-8001mkII version (2024) and MSX2 version (2025). We have recreated the visuals and sound of these two versions on Steam, utilizing the constraints and characteristics of each machine. Enjoy the unique texture and gameplay of each hardware.<\/p>\n

MSX2 \u2013 Released as a physical package in 2025. Experience<\/a> a detailed world drawn with a unique color palette. The sound is equivalent to PSG.ORIGIN (PC-8001mkII) \u2013 Distributed in 2024 through a reward system. You can vaguely experience music performance with only 4 colors and the pseudo-pulse vibration of the BEEP<\/a> speaker.<\/p>\n

Steam Deck Verified<\/p>\n

This game is fully compatible with Steam Deck. It features specific support for touch panel operation during name entry, allowing for intuitive and comfortable play via a dedicated user interface. Enjoy the detailed pixel art world anytime, anywhere\u2014whether on the go or relaxing at home\u2014and dive deep into your \u201cPuzzle Adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Development Team<\/p>\n

Planning and Production: Toshihiro Naito (the Hydlide\u00a0series, etc.)Pixel Art: Skipmore (Kamiko, Fairune, etc.)Sound: Tadahiro Nitta (Xak, Illusion City, etc.)<\/p>\n

Watch a trailer below.<\/p>\n

Steam Trailer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tokihiro NAITO, a game designer and director who works for M2, has announced XeGrader plus, a fantasy \u201cpuzzle…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":448753,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[49,48,61],"class_list":["post-448752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=448752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448752\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/448753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=448752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=448752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=448752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}