Black Future '88 cover

Black Future '88

Critic score1 critic
First release
Nov 21, 2019
Engine
Unity
Genres
Indie, Adventure, Shooter · Action, Science fiction

Climb a procedural tower in an alternate version of 1988 to kill its insane owner. Then do it again, and again. The constantly evolving world is influenced by other players as you experience this bold and wildly exciting dungeon crawler.

Also known as Black Future 88, BlackFuture'88.exe

Attributes

No Attributes added.

Details

Storyline, release dates, time to beat, age ratings, modes, links, keywords

Storyline
Black Future ’88 is a Synth-Punk roguelike 2D action Shooter. Vertically climb an always evolving procedural tower to reach the top and kill its insane owner…before your heart explodes. Shoot, slash, dash and upgrade yourself to survive the endless waves of deadly traps, homicidal AI, crazed junkies and colossal Wardens standing in your way in a stylish alternative version of 1988. The world is reeling from a nuclear cataclysm, created by Duncan, the tower architect. The First of his bombs fell in the summer of 1988, and by December they had blacked-out the sun with endless rain. We decided to stop keeping time after this, and it’s been 1988 ever since. Everything that lived through the initial attack will die in the extreme floods that followed. These are the times after, where there are no more months, or even weeks…everything is measured in minutes left to live. Take on the mantle of one of the last remaining misfit survivors, and fight your way to the top of the tower to kill the architect and stop the endless nuclear rain. Ascend to die, and die to survive. Game Features Death Ascendant: Climb an always evolving procedural tower and fight for survival through a constant onslaught of death by fire, lasers, and slashes. Unique Synth-Punk World: Play through a unique take on a retro cyberpunk dystopia, and fight to survive through 5 distinct zones each with their own challenges. Pick Your Poison: Play as one of 5 playable characters, each with their own unique buffs- and weaknesses. Ruin Friendships: Test your wits and reflexes with a friend in couch co-op, and experience a completely unique take on the co-op roguelike. Kill the Wardens: Fight for survival by challenging the numerous unique bosses that guard each one of the game’s zones. Fog Machines and Laser Beams: Bring a gun and laser sword to a fire fight by arming yourself with a selection of the 50 unique weapons available in the game, each with their own unique effects. Evolve to Survive: The only way to survive when everything, including your own heart, is trying to kill you is to carefully boost or curse yourself by strategically choosing- and combining from 30 distinct buffs and curses. Dailies: Every day, a new challenge is generated with unique attributes that will test your mettle and allow you to see how your skills compare against other players in a global Leaderboard. Fight for not just survival, but supremacy! Ear Candy: Death never sounded so good thanks to an all killer original analog-synth soundtrack performed by Tremor Low.Read more

Black Future ’88 is a Synth-Punk roguelike 2D action Shooter. Vertically climb an always evolving procedural tower to reach the top and kill its insane owner…before your heart explodes. Shoot, slash, dash and upgrade yourself to survive the endless waves of deadly traps, homicidal AI, crazed junkies and colossal Wardens standing in your way in a stylish alternative version of 1988. The world is reeling from a nuclear cataclysm, created by Duncan, the tower architect. The First of his bombs fell in the summer of 1988, and by December they had blacked-out the sun with endless rain. We decided to stop keeping time after this, and it’s been 1988 ever since. Everything that lived through the initial attack will die in the extreme floods that followed. These are the times after, where there are no more months, or even weeks…everything is measured in minutes left to live. Take on the mantle of one of the last remaining misfit survivors, and fight your way to the top of the tower to kill the architect and stop the endless nuclear rain. Ascend to die, and die to survive. Game Features Death Ascendant: Climb an always evolving procedural tower and fight for survival through a constant onslaught of death by fire, lasers, and slashes. Unique Synth-Punk World: Play through a unique take on a retro cyberpunk dystopia, and fight to survive through 5 distinct zones each with their own challenges. Pick Your Poison: Play as one of 5 playable characters, each with their own unique buffs- and weaknesses. Ruin Friendships: Test your wits and reflexes with a friend in couch co-op, and experience a completely unique take on the co-op roguelike. Kill the Wardens: Fight for survival by challenging the numerous unique bosses that guard each one of the game’s zones. Fog Machines and Laser Beams: Bring a gun and laser sword to a fire fight by arming yourself with a selection of the 50 unique weapons available in the game, each with their own unique effects. Evolve to Survive: The only way to survive when everything, including your own heart, is trying to kill you is to carefully boost or curse yourself by strategically choosing- and combining from 30 distinct buffs and curses. Dailies: Every day, a new challenge is generated with unique attributes that will test your mettle and allow you to see how your skills compare against other players in a global Leaderboard. Fight for not just survival, but supremacy! Ear Candy: Death never sounded so good thanks to an all killer original analog-synth soundtrack performed by Tremor Low.

Release dates
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Nov 21, 2019
Nintendo Switch
Nov 21, 2019
Nintendo Switch
Apr 24, 2020
Game modes
Split screen, Co-operative, Multiplayer, Single player
Perspective
Side view
Where to buy
Keywords
cyberpunk, roguelike

At a Glance

Critic Score
90

Overview

Steam review summary

Steam users rate this Mostly Positive, 494 reviews in all languages, recorded 16 October 2026

Valve's summary of Steam user reviews. Valve counts only reviews from purchases on Steam, not key activations, and leaves out review periods it has marked as off-topic. It isn't part of the CritScore score.

Review summary: SteamSteam data provided via the Steam Web API (opens in a new tab)Not affiliated with Valve →

Multiplayer

  • Local co-opSteam · 16 Oct
  • Shared or split screenSteam · 16 Oct
  • Steam Remote Play TogetherSteam · 16 Oct

Feature data: SteamSteam data provided via the Steam Web API (opens in a new tab)Not affiliated with Valve →

About storefront and compatibility information

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