Niklas Hallin
@hallinniklas.bsky.social
Solo game developer. Yono and the Celestial Elephants & Molly Medusa. Now working on Alruna and the Necro-Industrialists.
Pinned
Niklas Hallin
@hallinniklas.bsky.social
· Oct 20
If you're even remotely interested in 2D side-scrollers, Alruna comes in with so much wild energy!
Mere screenshots don't do justice to just how irreverent and playful this game is.
Mere screenshots don't do justice to just how irreverent and playful this game is.
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
I got commissioned by @hallinniklas.bsky.social to make art of the titular character in his upcoming game Alruna: End of History
I'm pretty pleased with how this came out! I don't often draw stuff like this but I'd like to do it more often.
#pixelart
I'm pretty pleased with how this came out! I don't often draw stuff like this but I'd like to do it more often.
#pixelart
November 16, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I got commissioned by @hallinniklas.bsky.social to make art of the titular character in his upcoming game Alruna: End of History
I'm pretty pleased with how this came out! I don't often draw stuff like this but I'd like to do it more often.
#pixelart
I'm pretty pleased with how this came out! I don't often draw stuff like this but I'd like to do it more often.
#pixelart
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Testing out the optimised particle system by making all enemies explode into gibs
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
November 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Testing out the optimised particle system by making all enemies explode into gibs
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
could you help me make my art reach more people?? 🙏🏼😭
May 20, 2025 at 11:02 PM
could you help me make my art reach more people?? 🙏🏼😭
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
I feel like devs and CEOs need to accept that a consequence of using gen AI is that a lot of people won’t like it. That’s just the case as it is and the risks you take
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 AM
I feel like devs and CEOs need to accept that a consequence of using gen AI is that a lot of people won’t like it. That’s just the case as it is and the risks you take
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
And one other thing: we’re being told that AI is the only way to make games cheaper and faster, to pull us from this precipice of production nightmares the industry has found itself in. That it’s necessary.
We put out roughly 3 motherfucking games a year, not touching the stuff.
Skill issue.
We put out roughly 3 motherfucking games a year, not touching the stuff.
Skill issue.
November 12, 2025 at 3:34 AM
And one other thing: we’re being told that AI is the only way to make games cheaper and faster, to pull us from this precipice of production nightmares the industry has found itself in. That it’s necessary.
We put out roughly 3 motherfucking games a year, not touching the stuff.
Skill issue.
We put out roughly 3 motherfucking games a year, not touching the stuff.
Skill issue.
A reviewer from Rock Paper Shotgun suggested that the opening of Alruna 1 was perhaps a tad too pretentious.
I made sure to make the opening of Alruna 2 even more pretentious for that guy specifically! 😁
I made sure to make the opening of Alruna 2 even more pretentious for that guy specifically! 😁
November 10, 2025 at 4:52 PM
A reviewer from Rock Paper Shotgun suggested that the opening of Alruna 1 was perhaps a tad too pretentious.
I made sure to make the opening of Alruna 2 even more pretentious for that guy specifically! 😁
I made sure to make the opening of Alruna 2 even more pretentious for that guy specifically! 😁
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Really enjoyed playing Alruna: End of History - a plant powered grimdark Metroidvania!
Plant powers rule in this grimdark Metroidvania about reclaiming industrial spaces, and I love the condensed approach to maps that still pack secrets
Hands-on | Alruna: End of History is a Metroidvania with blooming good powers
www.gamesradar.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Really enjoyed playing Alruna: End of History - a plant powered grimdark Metroidvania!
Here's a little thought... Historically people (women, really) have been waiting in bread-lines next to eachother, talking about what's going on and why.
But this is America, so the bread-lines take the form of individuals in personal vehicles, and the political energy is just kind of... neutered.
But this is America, so the bread-lines take the form of individuals in personal vehicles, and the political energy is just kind of... neutered.
Here in Atlanta yesterday, more than 2,000 people waited in their cars—one woman for 14 hours—for a box of food. The giveaway ended early; there wasn't enough to go around.
Multiply this scene by countless others across the country, and you get a sense of how crushing the desperation is right now.
Multiply this scene by countless others across the country, and you get a sense of how crushing the desperation is right now.
November 3, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Here's a little thought... Historically people (women, really) have been waiting in bread-lines next to eachother, talking about what's going on and why.
But this is America, so the bread-lines take the form of individuals in personal vehicles, and the political energy is just kind of... neutered.
But this is America, so the bread-lines take the form of individuals in personal vehicles, and the political energy is just kind of... neutered.
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
A story in three emails.
November 1, 2025 at 11:14 PM
A story in three emails.
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Happy Halloween!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
October 31, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Happy Halloween!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
Happy Halloween!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
October 31, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Happy Halloween!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
October Panic is on like 90% sale and costs practically nothing. It's a sweet little halloween treat!
It's a pretty subtle difference, I'd say. Alruna 1 is very raw and direct, A2 is smoother and more sophisticated. The insanity there is that there are just hundreds of new ideas, new types of platforms, new enemies, excellence in level design. The fourth temple in Alruna 2 is nuts!
Very much liked this little snippet into your design philosophy! Does the same principle stretch into al2una as well? Or have they been tweaked to give us something unexpected?
October 25, 2025 at 10:16 PM
It's a pretty subtle difference, I'd say. Alruna 1 is very raw and direct, A2 is smoother and more sophisticated. The insanity there is that there are just hundreds of new ideas, new types of platforms, new enemies, excellence in level design. The fourth temple in Alruna 2 is nuts!
Indeed! The Sacrifice of Alruna is that the camera is completely static and there are no parallaxing background layers. That's a pretty big deal for the genre.
But the Insanity of Alruna is pretty much everything else! Sequence-breaking, free movement, gamebreaking abilities. Reckless game design!
But the Insanity of Alruna is pretty much everything else! Sequence-breaking, free movement, gamebreaking abilities. Reckless game design!
Now I'm curious how those north stars were applied to Alruna...
It'd be rude not to take shots in the dark, so I'm guessing the sacrifice has something to do with size, scale, or the map...
And the insanity might be something to do with sequence breakability?
It'd be rude not to take shots in the dark, so I'm guessing the sacrifice has something to do with size, scale, or the map...
And the insanity might be something to do with sequence breakability?
October 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Indeed! The Sacrifice of Alruna is that the camera is completely static and there are no parallaxing background layers. That's a pretty big deal for the genre.
But the Insanity of Alruna is pretty much everything else! Sequence-breaking, free movement, gamebreaking abilities. Reckless game design!
But the Insanity of Alruna is pretty much everything else! Sequence-breaking, free movement, gamebreaking abilities. Reckless game design!
Every game I make had one big Sacrifice and one big Insanity.
October Panic's sacrifice is that you can't save and have to play it in one session.
It's insanity is that its five levels are absolutely packed with unique enemy types, movie references and halloween party goodness!
#halloween
October Panic's sacrifice is that you can't save and have to play it in one session.
It's insanity is that its five levels are absolutely packed with unique enemy types, movie references and halloween party goodness!
#halloween
October Panic is now only 0,99€ on Steam!! 🎃
Super cute, hella challenging but so much fun, go go go grab it!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3165420/...
#IndieGame #IndieDev
Super cute, hella challenging but so much fun, go go go grab it!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3165420/...
#IndieGame #IndieDev
Save 75% on October Panic on Steam
An arcade-style platformer with five levels and no saving/loading. A small trick-or-treat bag packed to the brim with both treats and tricks.
store.steampowered.com
October 25, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Every game I make had one big Sacrifice and one big Insanity.
October Panic's sacrifice is that you can't save and have to play it in one session.
It's insanity is that its five levels are absolutely packed with unique enemy types, movie references and halloween party goodness!
#halloween
October Panic's sacrifice is that you can't save and have to play it in one session.
It's insanity is that its five levels are absolutely packed with unique enemy types, movie references and halloween party goodness!
#halloween
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
October Panic is now only 0,99€ on Steam!! 🎃
Super cute, hella challenging but so much fun, go go go grab it!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3165420/...
#IndieGame #IndieDev
Super cute, hella challenging but so much fun, go go go grab it!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3165420/...
#IndieGame #IndieDev
Save 75% on October Panic on Steam
An arcade-style platformer with five levels and no saving/loading. A small trick-or-treat bag packed to the brim with both treats and tricks.
store.steampowered.com
October 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
October Panic is now only 0,99€ on Steam!! 🎃
Super cute, hella challenging but so much fun, go go go grab it!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3165420/...
#IndieGame #IndieDev
Super cute, hella challenging but so much fun, go go go grab it!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3165420/...
#IndieGame #IndieDev
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Less than 24 hours until Spooky Express releases!
Wishlist on Steam, pre-order on iOS/Android
spooky.express
Take charge of the only rail service willing to carry the undead passengers of deepest, darkest Trainsylvania! Plan routes and lay train tracks to meet your creepy commuters' demands.
Wishlist on Steam, pre-order on iOS/Android
spooky.express
Take charge of the only rail service willing to carry the undead passengers of deepest, darkest Trainsylvania! Plan routes and lay train tracks to meet your creepy commuters' demands.
Spooky Express
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express!
spooky.express
October 20, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Less than 24 hours until Spooky Express releases!
Wishlist on Steam, pre-order on iOS/Android
spooky.express
Take charge of the only rail service willing to carry the undead passengers of deepest, darkest Trainsylvania! Plan routes and lay train tracks to meet your creepy commuters' demands.
Wishlist on Steam, pre-order on iOS/Android
spooky.express
Take charge of the only rail service willing to carry the undead passengers of deepest, darkest Trainsylvania! Plan routes and lay train tracks to meet your creepy commuters' demands.
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
There's our baby!
October 21, 2025 at 11:54 AM
There's our baby!
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Spooky Express is OUT NOW on PC and Mobile! 🚂🎃
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express! Don’t let them miss their stops: they may be monsters, but they still have places to be and people to eat – er, we mean meet!
spooky.express
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express! Don’t let them miss their stops: they may be monsters, but they still have places to be and people to eat – er, we mean meet!
spooky.express
October 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Spooky Express is OUT NOW on PC and Mobile! 🚂🎃
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express! Don’t let them miss their stops: they may be monsters, but they still have places to be and people to eat – er, we mean meet!
spooky.express
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express! Don’t let them miss their stops: they may be monsters, but they still have places to be and people to eat – er, we mean meet!
spooky.express
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
I beat "Alruna and the Necro-Industrialists" last night. It literally made me beat the game just the whole day. It's a very short game, but it's still very fun overal. #AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
@zerolifex00.bsky.social
@zerolifex00.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 5:09 AM
I beat "Alruna and the Necro-Industrialists" last night. It literally made me beat the game just the whole day. It's a very short game, but it's still very fun overal. #AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
@zerolifex00.bsky.social
@zerolifex00.bsky.social
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
I admit. I kept seeing an IG ad for this game around last year, so thankfully I finally started playing this game today.
Also.. is that a System Of A Down reference..??
#AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
Also.. is that a System Of A Down reference..??
#AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
October 17, 2025 at 10:02 AM
I admit. I kept seeing an IG ad for this game around last year, so thankfully I finally started playing this game today.
Also.. is that a System Of A Down reference..??
#AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
Also.. is that a System Of A Down reference..??
#AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Been playing this game all day called "Alruna and the Necro-Industrialists". It's a Gameboy Color style Metroidvania and surprisingly I am enjoying it so far. It's straight forward, yet can still be challenging. #AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
October 17, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Been playing this game all day called "Alruna and the Necro-Industrialists". It's a Gameboy Color style Metroidvania and surprisingly I am enjoying it so far. It's straight forward, yet can still be challenging. #AlrunaAndTheNecroIndustrialists #Alruna #Metroidvania
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
👾Yes, THESE are Sculii games, for sure! Check out this #retro #2D #indiegame for #SteamNextFest October 2025!
🕹️ #Arluna: End of History by @hallinniklas.bsky.social
🔗Steam | store.steampowered.com/app/3440260/...
#indiegames #videogames #gaming
🕹️ #Arluna: End of History by @hallinniklas.bsky.social
🔗Steam | store.steampowered.com/app/3440260/...
#indiegames #videogames #gaming
Alruna: End of History on Steam
Alruna; now in wide-screen! A different kind of Metroidvania, a tour-de-force of game design, with world-class temples and dungeons. Dead men yearn for Heaven, but Elysium remains out of their grasp.
store.steampowered.com
October 16, 2025 at 7:47 PM
👾Yes, THESE are Sculii games, for sure! Check out this #retro #2D #indiegame for #SteamNextFest October 2025!
🕹️ #Arluna: End of History by @hallinniklas.bsky.social
🔗Steam | store.steampowered.com/app/3440260/...
#indiegames #videogames #gaming
🕹️ #Arluna: End of History by @hallinniklas.bsky.social
🔗Steam | store.steampowered.com/app/3440260/...
#indiegames #videogames #gaming
I'll just keep putting emo-kid song lyrics into these games. No one's stopping me!
October 15, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I'll just keep putting emo-kid song lyrics into these games. No one's stopping me!
Reposted by Niklas Hallin
Alruna End of History by @hallinniklas.bsky.social is a meaty metroidvania for platforming fans store.steampowered.com/app/3440260/...
Alruna: End of History on Steam
Alruna; now in wide-screen! A different kind of Metroidvania, a tour-de-force of game design, with world-class temples and dungeons. Dead men yearn for Heaven, but Elysium remains out of their grasp.
store.steampowered.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Alruna End of History by @hallinniklas.bsky.social is a meaty metroidvania for platforming fans store.steampowered.com/app/3440260/...