Taking horror themes and gothic vibes from games like Castlevania and Ghouls and Ghosts, Nocptern is a challenging scrolling shooter in a spooky setting.

The game is written entirely in 8-bit assembly and has taken roughly three years to complete - with breaks. Originally, it was only supposed to be an experiment to see if I could figure out how to make a level scroll on the screen, but then it took over all my other little projects and explorations!

The oddly satisfying reflective shot mechanic is inspired by how real bats use sound to hunt for food in nature. It can be used to take out threats in tight corners and from behind. The title is a pun; the "p" is silent!

The digital version of the game is available to purchase on Itch, with a cartridge version coming in the future. The ROM will be free to download on Halloween 2025.