There are plenty of roguelike shooters that throw hundreds of bullets your way. HYPERWIRED does that too – but it also asks you to think about something most games never consider: where your next recharge is coming from.
Available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC, this frantic twin-stick shooter introduces an inventive tether mechanic that forces you to balance overwhelming firepower with the very real danger of being tied to a power source. If you’re after an arcade challenge with a fresh hook, this one could be worth plugging into.
At A Glance
- Game: HYPERWIRED
- Developer: SIDRALGAMES
- Publisher: Entalto Publishing
- Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Price: £TBC
Every Recharge Is A Risk
The setup couldn’t be much bleaker. Space has fallen into darkness, your ship is running on borrowed energy, and survival depends on making it through procedurally generated galaxies packed with hostile enemies and towering bosses.
But unlike most shooters, simply pulling the trigger isn’t enough.
Your energy supply is limited, meaning you’ll regularly need to dock with charging points scattered throughout each stage. The catch? The moment you connect, your ship becomes physically tethered by a cable. You can still move and fight, but only within its limited range.
It’s a clever idea that constantly forces split-second decisions. Do you stay plugged in for maximum firepower, or disconnect and risk running out of energy while dodging another wave of incoming attacks?
Bullet Hell Meets Tactical Thinking
That single mechanic transforms familiar bullet-hell action into something far more strategic. Positioning suddenly becomes just as important as your aim, particularly when arenas begin filling with enemies from every direction. Fortunately, your ship isn’t without a few tricks of its own.
A rechargeable slow-motion ability gives you breathing room during the most chaotic moments, letting you weave through impossible-looking bullet patterns before diving back into the action.
And of course, like any good roguelike, HYPERWIRED is built around experimentation. More than ten playable ships each bring their own style to the battlefield. Some favour devastating mega-lasers, others recruit rescued ships into a flying squadron, while stealth-focused builds offer an entirely different way to tackle each run.
Then there’s the upgrade system. Across multiple attempts you’ll unlock over 250 bullet modifier combinations, alongside more than 40 permanent upgrades that improve everything from recharge speed and firepower to something as simple – yet vital – as extending the length of your tether cable.
Every run offers another opportunity to discover a stronger combination.
A Fresh Take On The Space Shooter
The roguelike shooter genre is hardly short of competition, so it’s refreshing to see a game built around a genuinely original central mechanic rather than simply adding bigger explosions or tougher enemies.
With procedurally generated sectors, huge boss encounters, dozens of upgrades and a constant balancing act between power and mobility, HYPERWIRED looks set to test both your reflexes and your decision-making.
If you’ve been looking for an arcade shooter that offers something a little different, this one might just deserve a place on your radar. HYPERWIRED is available today on the usual storefronts (Xbox Store, perhaps?) on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam).
Stay tuned for our review.
