In the pixel art action game Vindefiant, players embody Alyx, a disgruntled ex-employee bent on vengeance against their former corporate employer. According to the game’s Steam page, “Alyx unleashes his powers and sparks a path of rage and destruction to get revenge on his former employer.”

This creation stemmed from developer Jordan Blake’s personal experience in the gaming industry. After being laid off from a prominent studio in February 2023, Blake began developing Vindefiant by June of the same year. He stated, “I went to college to study game design and then Uni, and I dropped out of Uni after being offered my dream job… I was then unfortunately made redundant from that job after half a year and I took the risk and went indie full time.”

The game features over-the-top pixelated destruction and incorporates cartoony superpowers resembling those from the metroidvania genre. Players will manipulate tendrils to navigate the environment while combating foes, expressing their role as the game’s antagonist in a stylistically brutal fashion.

Blake acknowledges the narrative’s connection to recent trends of layoffs in the industry, noting, “The experience of being made redundant was merely an inspiration to create a revenge game. But from there the story grew on its own… People are struggling. My heart’s with everyone who’s still looking for a job in the games industry. Stay strong!”