Exception bends the rules of 2D and it’ll make you feel sick

When 2D becomes 3D.

Ever get motion sickness from a game trailer? No? Well you’re about to. Exception’s unique selling point is clear from about 3 seconds into it’s trailer. It’s a 2D platformer in a 3D world. How does that work? Well it looks a bit like trying to play a game while balancing on a skateboard, you’re going to have to keep an eye on your environment changing if you’re going to keep steady.

Looking like a cross between iRobot and Mega Man, Exception sees you exploring the computer system of an elderly woman, which is absolutely riddled with viruses. You’re the robot sent to stop them all. The game combines combat that requires quick reflexes with tricky platforming, all with the objective of tackling the virus and restoring the machine to its former glory.

Exception is divided into platforming levels, each bookended by illustrated cut scenes, which give some background into this computer’s unfortunate situation. According to the Steam description the player will “join a gang of four misfit software threads in their journey to overthrow the brutal regime and restore freedom to the system”. I don’t quite know what that means but it sounds like fun.

Inspired by the NES era of gaming, the game aims to get back to a simple form of gaming where you just run around and smack at things. The developers have said, “Frustration with modern titles that overwhelm the player with tutorials led to a desire to create a game that uses a simple control scheme to produce a rich gaming experience”. All this puts even greater focus on the world shifting 3D mechanic, allowing the joy of navigation to take centre stage.

Exception is planned to release on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PS4 on August 13th.