By Desert Child is a racing RPG where players will pilot their hoverbike through dangerous tracks in hopes to win prize money, but sometimes there’s more cash to be had in throwing a race than winning one.
Desert Child follows a young racer looking to get off of a ruined Earth and start racing on different planets. To do so, they’ll need cash, which means taking their beloved hoverbike and making some winnings on underground circuits, slowly working up the funds needed to get to the big races and the Solar Championship Cup. If small time races aren’t cutting it, players can take deals with crooked people to throw a match for some money, steal items for criminals, or smuggle things across the border. Just don’t get caught, as there will be big consequences to these underhanded dealings.
Players who want to try for a more honest victory will still have their work cut out for them. They will race on various obstacle-lined tracks, dodging around those while also avoiding the shots of other racers. Players can outfit their hoverbike with various amplifiers and guns to shoot back, though, but these all cost money, which may be better earned through crooked acts. Players can give themselves a cheaper boost through what foods they eat when not in a match, though, getting a little better performance from a good bowl of ramen.
When not racing, players are free to head out into the game’s various cities and see what trouble they can get into, picking up jobs delivering drugs, finding varied restaurants, or finding hoverbike part dealers.
A demo for Desert Child is available now on GameJolt. Players who enjoy it can donate to the game’s ongoing Kickstarter.
