Dev Log: Deploying Extremely Questionable Machinery

Greetings citizens of the Hive.

Today I wanted to share a little preview of what I’ve been working on for the next update of Hive City Heat. As the game grows, I’ve been looking at classic beat ’em ups for inspiration and thinking about ways to add those memorable “oh hell yes” gameplay moments.

One of my favorite mechanics from old-school brawlers is rideable units. Games like Golden Axe had beasts you could mount and rampage with, and Captain Commando let you jump into mechs and suddenly become a walking disaster for everything on screen. Those moments always felt great because the gameplay briefly changes and you get to unleash some ridiculous firepower.

So naturally, I asked myself:

"What would be the most appropriate thing to ride in a grim, overcrowded hive city?"

The answer was obvious.

A Penitent Engine–style war machine.

For those who played Inquisitor Trainer, you might remember that we already encountered something similar before. In that game, some unfortunate (and occasionally enthusiastic) individuals were strapped into a Penitent Engine and sent down into the undercity to unleash havoc. Whether they volunteered for this sacred duty or were “strongly encouraged” by the Inquisition is, of course, a matter for the Administratum to clarify.

Naturally, I thought it would be fitting for Hive City Heat to bring this wonderful piece of imperial engineering back—though this time the player will actually get the chance to take control of one.

For the upcoming update, I’m planning to add a rideable Penitent Engine that the player can jump into during gameplay. Instead of just punching cultists in the street like a normal citizen of the Imperium, you’ll be able to temporarily take control of a massive, screaming contraption of punishment and start delivering justice the proper way.

Because nothing says law and order like a towering mechanical walker powered by guilt and extremely poor life choices.

Right now I’m working on the animation sprites for the machine, which is the first step toward making this feature a reality. I wanted to share this early because it’s a pretty fun addition to the game and it opens the door to some very chaotic gameplay moments.

The general idea is that when you encounter one of these machines during a level, you’ll be able to jump into it and take control, gaining access to its own attacks and abilities. Instead of normal street brawling, you’ll suddenly be stomping through enemies with a walking instrument of imperial overkill.

Naturally, this fits perfectly within the highly responsible urban planning of a hive city, where deploying massive penitential war engines in crowded streets is considered a perfectly reasonable response to minor disturbances.

UNCENSORED VERSION OVER HERE !

This feature is still in early development, but the animations are coming together nicely and it’s already shaping up to be a fun addition to the game. Once the visuals are finalized, the next steps will be integrating it into gameplay so players can properly unleash it on the unfortunate inhabitants of the underhive.

As always, Hive City Heat is a bit of a wild experiment for me. It started as a spinoff from Inquisitor Trainer, but it has slowly grown into its own chaotic little corner of the hive—complete with street fights, cultists, and now, apparently, heavily armed walking machines of repentance.

Which, if you ask the Administratum, is probably still within acceptable safety regulations.

Thank you all for supporting the project. Your support genuinely helps keep development moving forward, and I’m excited to keep expanding the game with new enemies, mechanics, and ridiculous hive city situations.

More previews soon.

The Emperor Protects.
(But a Penitent Engine helps.)