Pseudo-3D Shooting Game ULTRA0 Launches on Steam June 2
The game's beginner-friendly design and alternating visual novel structure aim to make the shooting genre accessible to players who typically avoid it, while the episodic protagonist format suggests a narrative scope beyond a single character arc.
Reporting from 2 sources: Automaton, Game Spark.
Indie developer PenGames announced on May 25 that its pseudo-3D shooting game ULTRA0 will launch on PC via Steam on June 2. The game combines shooting segments with visual novel storytelling, alternating between the two modes. Set in the fictional country N, where monster invasions have caused mass casualties, the story follows girls who fight on the front lines. The first protagonist is Shirogane, a member of Area 81, who is ordered to defeat an unknown giant monster. The shooting portion uses simple controls: the player moves the character with the stick while attacks fire automatically when enemies enter the crosshair. Players can also use bombs and skills with a single button. Power-up items appear randomly, offering three choices that boost stats like attack power, fire rate, and cooldown, with occasional doubling or tripling of effects. The visual novel segments unfold in an episodic format, with a different protagonist each chapter. During shooting, messages from allies appear via a smartphone-style UI on the side of the screen, showing battle updates and daily conversations. ULTRA0 is priced at 999 yen, with a 10% launch discount for two weeks after release. PenGames previously released the high-difficulty exploration game MOMIBOSU.
PenGames, the studio behind the well-received high-difficulty 2D exploration action game MOMIBOSU, is shifting to a more accessible genre with ULTRA0. The developer, indie creator Peng, had been posting development updates on social media before the release date was set. The game's pseudo-3D shooting segments use a dot-pixel art style and are designed for controller use, with the stick controlling movement and attacks triggering automatically. Power-up items appear randomly in sets of three, and players can see their effects doubled or tripled by luck. The visual novel sections change protagonists each chapter, starting with Shirogane, a skilled fighter from the fierce Area 81 zone. During shooting, a smartphone-style interface on the side of the screen delivers messages from comrades, mixing tactical updates with casual conversation. The game is set for a June 2 release on Steam at 999 yen, with a two-week launch sale offering a 10% discount. Game Spark published a play report and developer interview from the TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT 2026, providing additional hands-on impressions.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.