by As much as we all like to pretend to be insusceptible to clever marketing tricks and gimmicks, there are always those rare exceptions where we have to throw our hands up and praise a developer or publisher for coming up with effective ways of standing out from the sheer tidal wave of new releases that clog up our inbox on a daily basis.
One great example of this is the sidescrolling action-adventure roguelike Dungeon Lurker from 13AM Games, which was announced earlier this week at the MIX Summer Game Showcase 2026.
On the surface, Dungeon Lurker seems to pretty much be your typical sidescrolling action-adventure roguelike, with players fighting "into the depths of a cursed dungeon" to "uncover a sinister secret", occasionally exiting to upgrade their "equipment, spells, and charms." But, as its advertising campaign suggests, dig a little deeper, and there's clearly much more going on than just swords, shields, and skeletal bad guys.
The announcement trailer, for instance, doesn't just make a point of emphasising its lovely pixel art styling and its challenging combat, but also hints at a Jumanji-esque story about a missing child, his childhood friend, and a supernatural video game that shares a title with the game itself.
And this "meta narrative" is something that the developer 13 AM Games and their marketing partners CONTINUE have been keen to build on elsewhere, launching a '90s-themed marketing campaign referencing a fictional 32-bit console called the Eclipse, complete with era-accurate print ads featuring a diorama created by the Spanish artist and sculptor Plastiboo and a website designed to look like a relic of the early internet.
In an age when nauseating AI-produced key art is becoming increasingly common, it's a level of care and attention we can certainly get behind, with these additional touches guaranteeing I'll pick it up when it releases.
Here's a list of the features:
Mind-boggling 3D graphics and 256 colors powered by the Eclipse 32-bit processor!
Descend into the depths of the dungeon with over 30 unique levels to conquer and explore! (fully hand crafted - no procedural generation!)
Battle ghouls, goblins and werewolves in high octane real time combat!
Unlock powerful spells and potions to aid you in your adventure!
Uncover hidden secrets, unlockable paths, and items to collect!
Return to the surface to upgrade your equipment, spells, and charms!
Decipher forbidden knowledge in the game’s manual – it contains more secrets than you might expect…
You can wishlist the project here.