A fast platform fighter you can pick up for free
SLAYERS FOR HIRE is a free-to-play 2D platform fighter built around speed, precision, and creative characters. It is still in Early Access, so the roster and feature set are growing over time. Right now three characters are playable: Slugger, Artist, and Spy. Each one is built to support a different approach to a fight, whether you want to rush in constantly or play a slower, more deliberate game. The developers describe the goal as something familiar to fighting game players but with new ideas layered on top.
Playing together with your group
You can play online or locally. Online matches support up to 16 players and use rollback netcode, so a less-than-perfect connection still produces a smooth fight. Locally you can play with up to 6 players, or fight AI opponents when you want to practice without going online. Remote Play Together is available, which lets friends join your session from their own machines. The stage lineup includes arena stages for tight cage-match style fights and a battle royale map designed for large groups, so a lobby of friends can run a proper free-for-all instead of a series of one-on-ones.
Mechanics worth knowing before you start
The game includes mechanics that add options and fix common platform fighter problems. Focus Attacks and Airdash Cancels open up extra tools to build your offense around, while Combo Gravity addresses long-standing combo issues in the genre. Controls can be reconfigured and saved, with support for Xbox, PlayStation, and GameCube controllers as well as keyboard, and tap jump can be toggled on or off. A bare-bones training arena exists, but a full tutorial and deeper training tools are still planned rather than available now.
What is still on the way
Because this is Early Access, a long list of features are planned rather than present: a story mode described as a local and online co-op metroidvania, more characters, items, spectator mode and replays, in-game tournaments, minigames, mod support, custom stages, and cosmetics. One item already implemented grants infinite airdashes. Expect the game to change as content lands, and treat the current build as a slice of a larger plan.