A claymation side-scrolling shooter
Platypus Reclayed is a fast arcade shoot-em-up rebuilt from scratch by Claymatic Games under original creator Anthony Flack. You pilot the F-27 "Platypus", an antique fighter plane from Mungola, against the Colossatropolan battle fleet. Colossatropolis has run out of room and set its sights on neighbouring Mungola, so a single squadron of old aircraft is what stands in the way. The game is a side scroller in the classic bullet-hell tradition: lots of incoming fire, quick dodging, and new weapons to pick up along the way. Everything is rendered in claymation, with all-new artwork photographed in 4K widescreen, so the whole thing looks handmade rather than digital. The soundtrack brings back the original Platypus music plus licensed remixes of classic 1980s game tunes from C64audio.
Playing it with friends
The game supports two-player simultaneous action, so you and a friend fly side by side through the same levels and share the screen. It is tagged for local co-op, and Remote Play Together is available, which means one person can own the game and bring a friend in over the internet as if you were sitting on the same couch. Between the local multiplayer and Remote Play, it works well as a pick-up-and-play option for a Discord group that wants something short, loud, and easy to jump into between longer sessions.
Before you start
Difficulty settings are adjustable, so a group with mixed skill levels can settle on something that keeps everyone alive without stripping out the challenge. Expect a dense, frantic pace with plenty of bullets on screen; the bullet-hell tag is accurate, and the difficulty slider is there for a reason. The tone is cartoonish and family friendly, with cute clay models and colourful scenery rather than anything grim. The studio describes itself as a small indie outfit focused on simple, repeatable mechanics and open development, so this is a straightforward arcade game rather than a system-heavy one: you learn to shoot, dodge, and survive, and the replay value comes from doing it better.