Way back in the deepest, darkest depths of 2016 – i.e. last summer (oh warmth, how I miss thee!) – I wrote about the brilliantly-demented indie freebie Astrocreep. Inspired by classic sci-fi horror films such as Alien and The Thing, it’s a point-and-click adventure that sees you infiltrating an orbital space station as an alien parasite that grows and evolves with each successful kill. Blending the macabre with slapstick and the endearingly cute, Astrocreep is dark, gruesome and hilarious (though not perhaps for all tastes!). You can check it out for free over here on Game Jolt.

My only serious criticism of Astrocreep was that it’s rather short. It turns out others thought the same. Happily then, caving in to the whims of the internet, Suits n’ Nukes is working on a much-expanded follow up. Taking place after the events of the first game, Astrocreep: Invasion will see the infested station crashing down to Earth and the parasites now menacing the occupants of a small town.

The plan is for the game to be around an hour long and will once again feature branching evolutionary paths, encouraging multiple playthroughs. I must admit, I still can’t decide which was more awesome in the original: the telekinetic space octopus or the acid-spitting cosmic squid.

For the sequel, the normally solitary Nukes has switched to Unity and enlisted the help of a coding partner and a musician, promising a more polished production and a bespoke soundtrack. They’re aiming for a May release that’ll also appear on Steam. Exciting stuff.

However, in order to get finished within a reasonable time frame and for it to remain free, the project desperately needs financial backing. So how about commencing the New Year by supporting an alien invasion? Currently, a pledge of $5 or more will get your name in the credits, but Nukes is also toying with the idea of a highly limited deal where a handful of backers will get themselves animated into the game, potentially as a victim. Yikes!

You can follow Astrocreep: Invasion’s progress on its Game Jolt entry here and support its development via Suits n’ Nukes’ Patreon page here. Come on, wouldn’t you love one of these adorable little blighters to invade your home town?