HaZ Dulull Explains How Astro Burn Became a Cute-em-up

HaZ Dulull on Astro Burn’s Cute-em-up Pivot, Player Feedback, and the Push to Bring Physical Games Back

There is something refreshing about a developer who is willing to shift when a game is clearly asking for it. Astro Burn did not begin as the playful, cat-led cute-em-up it is becoming now, and that is exactly what makes its development story interesting. The project changed because people reacted to it in a specific way, and instead of ignoring that, HaZ Dulull and the team listened. That kind of honesty matters, and it fits naturally alongside the kind of conversations we already highlight in our Developer Interviews section.

We spoke with HaZ Dulull of Beyond The Pixels about what triggered Astro Burn’s pivot, the feedback that genuinely improved the game, the ideas he chose not to follow, and why the physical side of game ownership still means so much to him.

Astro Burn

Release: Coming Soon

Genre: Cute-em-up, Shoot-’em-up, Bullet Hell

Developer / Publisher: Beyond The Pixels / Pixel Doors

Platforms: Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store

Astro Burn – Trailer

Trailer via Beyond The Pixels.

Astro Burn loading screen artwork featuring the cat astronaut protagonist. Image via Beyond The Pixels.

Developer Q&A – Astro Burn, feedback, identity, and physical-game nostalgia

Answers provided by HaZ Dulull.

What was the exact trigger for the late pivot into a “Cute ’Em Up”?

It was a combination of things, but the biggest turning point came from watching players at game events. People would rush over to the booth, excited to try the game, but after just one round, they’d walk away. Naturally, I had to ask, “Okay, how bad is my work-in-progress?!”

But the response was surprising. Almost everyone said the same thing: they came over because of the cat on the poster, but didn’t expect a hardcore spaceship shmup.

At the same time, during early playtesting, our Discord community kept saying, “Lean more into the cat, that’s the part we love.”

So I took all that feedback on board. One Sunday morning, while browsing through my Super Famicom collection, I picked up Parodius and Pop’n TwinBee and played them for hours. That’s when it clicked. The mechanics were familiar, but the tone was playful, weird, and totally bonkers, especially Parodius.

That was the moment. Astro Burn didn’t need to change its core. It needed to embrace its personality.

So I started experimenting. First, I took the level one boss and added a panda sitting on top of a giant mech, posted it online, and the reaction was immediate: “This is fun!”

Then I swapped the player ship for a jetpack-wearing cat, and the response went through the roof.

That’s when I knew. It was time to fully commit and transform Astro Burn from a traditional shoot-’em-up into something much more unique: a cute-em-up.

What’s the biggest thing that changed because of the pivot (combat, tone, progression, etc.)?

The biggest shift was really in the tone, and that’s where bringing on art director and all-round incredible artist Taq Yoneda made all the difference. It was a big bonus that he was a fan of Parodius too.

Fun story: I was out in Winnipeg, Canada, speaking about indie game development at New Media Manitoba, and met a brilliant group of indie devs, Taq included.

Fast forward to landing back in London, and I get an email from him at the airport. He’d played the rough demo of Astro Burn, loved it, and had taken the liberty of creating some fan art.

And honestly, the moment I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.

It was exactly what Astro Burn needed from an art direction perspective. It just clicked instantly. Within days, we jumped on a Zoom, started exploring the cute-em-up visual identity, and the rest is history.

One of the biggest outcomes of pivoting to a cute-em-up was this constant drive to ask: how far can we push the bonkers factor?

That mindset led to the creation of the Catnip Power Bar, a special ability system that rewards players as they destroy enemies in true R-Type-style fashion.

Astro Burn screenshot showing the MEOW-DOKEN special attack in action during a boss fight. Image via Beyond The Pixels.

Once the bar is full, it flashes, and that’s your moment. Hit the B button at the right time to unleash a random special move, including the fan-favourite: MEOW-DOKEN!

Yes, your space cat transforms into a giant, anime-style force of feline fury, unleashing absolute chaos across the screen. Time it right, and you can wipe out almost everything in sight in one gloriously over-the-top moment. This feature has quickly evolved into a core USP of the game, capturing exactly what Astro Burn is all about: skill, spectacle, and unapologetic, bonkers fun.

What’s one thing you kept from the earlier version that you’re glad survived the change?

I’d say the core mechanics of the game have remained consistent, but one thing that’s been there from day one is the music.

The soundtrack has always been a huge driver of the game’s pacing, energy, and overall juice.

It’s a collaboration with my Paris-based friend Roman, who creates under the name Venice Bleach. Early on, just a few months after I had a rough playable build, I shared it with him. Almost immediately, he came back with what he called “audio sketches,” music he was already hearing in his head while watching footage of the work-in-progress demo of the game.

And I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s absolutely spot on.”

What’s amazing is that much of the music you hear in the game today is still built from those original sketches he created over a year ago.

When you say the project is “agile,” what does that mean in practice, how do you collect feedback, and how often do you review it?

To be fair, indie game development is inherently agile. As an indie, you’re constantly discovering the game as you build it, which means being ready to pivot and adapt based on feedback at any moment.

That’s very different from my previous career in film and TV, where processes are typically far less flexible.

With Astro Burn, feedback is continuous, whether that’s coming through our Discord community or via collaboration with our publisher, Pixel Doors. We centralise everything into a shared spreadsheet, where feedback is prioritised as Critical, High, Medium, or Low, with Low being more suggestion-based.

One personal rule I follow to stay sane is this: if only one person isn’t vibing with something, it’s likely subjective. But if a lot of people are saying the same thing, then it’s something we seriously need to pay attention to.

What’s one piece of feedback that directly changed Astro Burn for the better?

The big feedback early on that really changed the gameplay for the better was making the background and foreground clearer and less confusing. I solved that by making the background and mid-ground less saturated and darker. It sounds like a simple fix, but it made a massive difference for players. It became much clearer what they could hit and what was just background art, and that had a direct impact on people completing levels and having more fun.

Astro Burn screenshot showing an underwater boss encounter with a giant octopus. Image via Beyond The Pixels.

What’s one suggestion you decided not to follow, and why?

A few suggestions involved having the game offer microtransactions and online gameplay. I decided not to do those because I wanted to make a game that does not rely on being online to play, but also to reflect the golden era of gaming in the 90s. Making online games also requires serious infrastructure in the game code and services, and that simply did not interest me for this game.

What do you want players to feel in the first 10 minutes, and how are you making onboarding smoother than a typical shooter?

My goal is simple. I want players to feel joy. Astro Burn is all about pure fun and not taking itself too seriously, especially compared to more intense shmups. It’s designed to be playful, welcoming, and instantly engaging.

The onboarding is intentionally simple. The strong, cute visual identity does a lot of the work, making the experience feel intuitive and easy to pick up from the moment you start playing. No friction, just straight into the action.

Astro Burn screenshot featuring a surreal neon boss battle against a cat mermaid enemy. Image via Beyond The Pixels.

For the physical release: what are you aiming to bring back from the “box + manual” era, and what will backers actually get?

I genuinely miss the days of opening a game box, flipping through an artwork-filled instruction manual, and holding the cartridge or CD-ROM in my hands. Back then, buying a game wasn’t just a transaction. It was an experience.

With this Kickstarter, we’re bringing that feeling back. You’ll get a cartridge-style USB containing a DRM-free version of the game, a beautifully illustrated instruction manual, and collectible postcards, all packaged in a Super Famicom-inspired box.

We’re also offering additional items like the soundtrack on cassette and CD, plus limited-edition collector trading cards. We’ll be updating the campaign throughout the month with more rewards, working closely with our physical publishing partner, 33 Games.

What’s becoming increasingly clear is that this isn’t niche anymore. More and more players are losing access to digital purchases due to platform changes or account issues. From a consumer perspective, that’s frustrating, and it’s why we strongly believe games should be owned, not just accessed.

What retro games or era inspired Astro Burn the most?

The SNES and Super Famicom days, as well as my time spent in arcades when I was a teenager, have been a big inspiration for this game.

What’s one modern quality-of-life feature you’re adding to make it feel great to play today?

Couch co-op was a really important feature for me. It’s one of the most fun, social parts of the game.

I put it in because I genuinely miss those moments of sitting in the same room with friends or family, all gathered around one screen playing things like Mario Kart, GoldenEye, or Street Fighter II. There’s just a different energy to it, more immediate and more human.

And the big thing: no logins, no online setup, no friction. Just pick up a controller and play. That’s the feeling I wanted to bring back with Astro Burn.

Follow Astro Burn

You can follow the Astro Burn Kickstarter campaign here, join the official Discord here, and try the demo on Steam.

Related Reading

More Developer Interviews on Fix Gaming Channel
Gunboat God Hands-On – A Wild Side-Scrolling Shooter Built for One More Run

Enjoy our content? Support Fix Gaming Channel with a donation via
Buy Me a Coffee to help keep independent game journalism alive.