Super Cute Co-op RTS NAMAKORIUM to Enter Early Access
Polyscape has announced that its underwater cooperative real-time strategy game, NAMAKORIUM, will officially launch into Early Access later this month.
Early Access will be available to players on PC via Steam starting on January 30.
The game will be available for 1,500 yen, with an introductory launch discount of 1,200 yen offered for a limited period after release.
The Early Access version is a substantial expansion of the previously released demo, now featuring a total of eight stages with varying difficulty levels.
To enhance player accessibility and cooperative opportunities, a new Random Match feature has been integrated, allowing solo players to be paired with others for a full co-op experience.
Polyscape confirmed that the game will receive continuous updates and will incorporate player feedback as it progresses toward its full release.
NAMAKORIUM is designed as a chaotic, multiplayer real-time strategy experience supporting up to four players.
The premise casts players as the commanders of “sea cleaners,” specialized Namakos (sea cucumbers) tasked with reversing widespread ocean pollution left behind by humanity.
Gameplay centers on organizing a Namako Operation: gathering resources, constructing necessary buildings, and clearing contaminated pathways.
Success hinges on purifying all pollution before the in-game food supply is depleted, demanding effective planning and team coordination under pressure.
The game features unique Namako units with special traits, such as the Shell Namako for gathering limestone and the Iron Namako for mining operations.
Other specialized units, such as the Flame Namako and Ice Namako, are equipped to handle extreme temperatures, necessitating strategic role assignment to conquer each level.
However, players must beware of the “Blight Namako,” corrupted creatures that suddenly appear to rot the team’s food supply and drag the ocean back into darkness.
These threats must be repelled using the collaborative power of the Namako Fusion Cannon.
As players decontaminate areas, the ocean environment visibly heals: corals bloom, sunlight penetrates the water, and vibrant color returns.
Over 40 types of “Scenic Creatures,” encompassing both real and fantasy species, can be collected as the seas are restored.
Parallel to the Early Access launch, Polyscape has initiated a Campfire crowdfunding campaign with a goal of 500,000 yen (approximately $3,177 USD) to expand NAMAKORIUM into a global intellectual property.
This initiative was spurred by positive player feedback from the demo, which expressed interest in physical items because players found the characters to be cute and wanted merchandise.
The funds raised will be dedicated to the mass production of plushies and figures, as well as financing international public relations efforts to support the IP’s global expansion.
At the time of writing, the crowdfunding campaign has exceeded expectations, having raised over 678,000 yen with 47 days left to go.
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