Genome Guardian 2 Mixes Bullet Hell With Mad Science

Does anyone else use their personal Steam Calendar? No, just me? That’s fine, I don’t mind being the lone wolf.

I often start my morning perusing the calendar, looking for the latest shiny object to grab my attention. This morning, I landed on Genome Guardian 2. The bright colors immediately caught my eye, as something about them subconsciously reminded me of one of my favorite franchises, Geometry Wars.

Developed by Alpherior, Genome Guardian 2 is a twin-stick roguelite shooter that combines bullet hell action with extensive customization. After launching into Early Access back in March, the game received its full 1.0 release just a few days ago on October 11.

I haven’t had any hands-on time yet, but by the looks of the gameplay, players construct their own nanobot using hundreds of interchangeable parts that determine movement, attacks, and defensive capabilities against waves of hostile microbes.

The weapon system allows players to combine DNA nucleotides to create 70 different hybrid bioweapons, each with different attacks and firing patterns.

In addition to its twin-stick gameplay, Genome Guardian 2 includes a dedicated SHMUP mode that transforms the experience into a vertical shoot ’em up, along with an Endless Mode. This is where you’ll find me more than likely.

Players can research permanent upgrades, unlock equipment, and experiment with different builds across multiple runs. Runs last approximately 20 minutes, with the ability to save and resume progress.

The full 1.0 release adds new Guardians, equipment, challenges, and endgame content, along with the conclusion of the game’s story.

Genome Guardian 2 is available on PC through Steam and carries a Steam Deck Playable rating. Controller remapping, auto-aim, and auto-fire options are also supported.

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