Developer Hapa Games will release its breakout title, the rogue-inspired 2D brawler Ascendant, on PS4 August 25.
Originally released via Steam in May 2014, Ascendant pairs a vibrant aesthetic with the crushing combat you would expect from a rogue-lite title. You play one of seven unlockable demigods, all hell-bent on conquering the realms of their rivals, which amounts to bashing your way through procedurally generated levels.
A Guacamelee-esque grapple mechanic and a wealth of weapons, spells and passive Blessings do wonders for Ascendant’s otherwise simplistic combat. There are hundreds of items to discover, the vast majority of which will radically affect your play style. 
The epitome of indie development, Ascendant was made in a garage by a team started by Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy graduates and Hapa co-founders Ben Crocker and Brian Widman. Production on Ascendant started in 2013, Crocker wrote on the PlayStation Blog, but only began in earnest following Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight success.
“We had secondhand whiteboards, a dirty grey carpet, $40 desks from IKEA, monitors bought from a garage sale, a clattering AC unit, and a dart board,” Crocker said. “It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t swanky. But it was perfect; our own private indie mecca. We couldn’t have had a better place to create Ascendant.”
By the end of development, only a seven-man team remained. The result was an Aztec-infused, strikingly colorful and uncompromisingly difficult brawler, which will soon join a sizable August 2015 lineup. Combat-free explorer Submerged, assembly line puzzler Infinifactory, and strategic tower defender The Castle Game are also due next month, along with a PlayStation port of Goat Simulator.
Source [PlayStation Blog]
